We'll Be A Sweet Disaster
by TheIronBat
Summary: Jo just wanted to enjoy the peace and quiet, but she got the call. The Call. The call telling her to come in; the call that gave her a job to do. Peace and quiet was starting to get boring anyway.
1. Better Known As Tank

**TIB: **First posted story! Posting a first chapter is always exciting; it's exhilarating. Hmm, there's not much that I want to say right now. This chapter picks up about a month after the ending of _Iron Man 3_.

* * *

"_She rolled over all of 'em…like a, like a tank."  
__**SHIELD Agent on Josephine Holbrook**_

**.xXx.**

**Chapter One  
****Better Known As Tank**

* * *

**January 2014**

"Are you out of your mind?!" The two assassins just stared up at him with no expressions, and Fury looked like he always did.

"It's for your protection, Stark. You get into more trouble than anyone else I know, and I am tired of lookin' after your ass. This is something that'll work for everyone," Fury explained for the second time.

"Can't I just have Natalie back?" Natasha's face tightened in a glare and Clint was definitely not smiling.

"We went through a lot of trouble to get her here, Stark." Fury was definitely glaring at him now. Tony crossed his arms and started pacing. They wanted to give him a _bodyguard_?!

"I have Happy." Fury didn't even say anything, he just stared at him. Okay, yeah, that was a little weak. "Who is it?"

"Street name is Josephine Holbrook, codename Eris, also known as The Tank. She—"

"You call her _The Tank_?" Clint actually snorted at that, and Natasha just raised one shoulder in a shrug.

"She's virtually indestructible with fast acting regenerative powers, and she's telepathic so you can't lie to her. She's fast, she's strong, and she won't take any of your shit. She's also an independent contractor, so you will be her sole employer." Tony almost argued with that last bit, until he caught on to what Fury was saying. Tony would be the sole employer, so she wouldn't answer to anyone else. That was good.

"What is she, some genetic experiment?" The telepathy was a little disconcerting. He didn't want anyone messing around inside his head, but the indestructibility was something worth looking into.

"No, she was born with these abilities." Born, not made.

"A mutant? I thought they all went underground after what happened in San Francisco?"

"She's worked with us for years, even before then."

"She doesn't like violence but that doesn't mean she isn't good at it, so try not to piss her off," Clint spoke up.

"You've met her?" Clint nodded.

"We've worked a few cases together," Natasha added.

"Why do I need a bodyguard again?" Tony was looking at Fury now, who was starting to look a little tired.

"Because you destroyed all your suits, you have a special talent for pissing people off, and you removed the Extremis from Pepper. Someone needs to cover your back, and she's your best option." With that, the door to the conference room they were in flew open. A woman walked inside, and Tony turned to get a good look at her.

She was tall, five-seven, maybe. She was curved and looked soft. Her hair was brown and pulled back into a ball so he couldn't see how long it was. A pair of dark hazel eyes were staring right at him, and he could see the recognition in them. So she knew him, not that it was surprising. He _was_ Tony Stark. She could use a little fashion advice. Her black sandals looked a little worse for wear, her black skinny jeans showed a piece of her right thigh, and her green tank top was fraying at the bottom. Her arms were crossed under her sizeable chest, and her entire left arm was sleeved with tattoos.

"_She doesn't look like a tank to me_," he thought as he continued to look at her.

"Thanks, I think. Looks are deceiving and all that." Her voice was a little rough, and she spoke with a slow drawl.

"You must be Josephine." She smiled and revealed a dimple in her left cheek. The freckles on her cheeks shifted, and he realized she was covered in freckles.

"Jo, please, Mr. Stark. So, did I get the job?" She was still looking straight at him, and Tony was still peeved that anyone thought he needed a bodyguard. He was Iron Man! Iron Man does not need a bodyguard! "I'm not a bodyguard for Iron Man, sir. I'm a bodyguard for Tony Stark."

"I just really don't think—" He stopped as he watched blood spray from the side of the girl's head, and her hazel eyes went bloodshot as the bullet embedded itself in the wall next to her. The girl swayed on her feet and then pressed a hand against where the bullet had come out at.

"Was that really necessary, Natasha?" she grumbled. She turned her head to talk, and Tony watched as the gaping hole in her head closed up.

"That would have killed you, Stark. Jo will just have a headache for about an hour," Natasha said calmly. Hazel eyes rolled and then settled on him again.

"You shot her in the head!" Natasha shrugged, Clint smiled, and Fury crossed his arms.

"It's not the first time I've taken a shot to the head, probably won't be the last. I promise, sir, I can protect you." She looked no older than twenty; she looked so young and hopeful.

"Yeah, sure, why not?"

"You won't regret it, sir!" She beamed a smile at him, and Tony felt like crawling into a hole. Iron Man with a bodyguard, what a laugh. This was never going to work.

* * *

**Finis: **And that's it for the first chapter! It's short, but the others will be longer.


	2. Secret Friendship Handshake

**TIB: **Picks up where the last chapter left off, and this one comes more from Jo's perspective.

* * *

"_Alcohol is the anesthesia by which we endure the operation of life."  
__**George Bernard Shaw**_

**.xXx.**

**Chapter Two  
****Secret Friendship Handshake**

* * *

**January 20, 2014**

"Aaaaand, this is your room." Jo's head was in a bit of a whirlwind as she came to a stop, and she blinked confused eyes over at Tony Stark. _The_ Tony Stark. Iron Man. Genius. Billionaire. Her _boss_. Oh, holy fuck! What has she gotten herself into? Fucking SHIELD. Fucking Fury. Fucking _Natasha_ fucking _Romanoff_.

"Thanks, uh, Mr. Stark?" The corners of his brown eyes tightened a little as he smiled (a completely fake smile, Jo noted).

"Mr. Stark, sir, boss, whatever. Do you need anything else?" Jo looked down at her black duffel bag, which held her only possessions in the world (not counting the shit in storage), and thought it over.

"Yeah, there is one thing, _boss_. What's your schedule for today?" Her boss sighed and stuffed his hands into his pockets. The pockets of his very nice, very expensive slacks. This job is gonna get her killed, she can feel it. She should've just stayed in Rio; Rio was nice.

"You're really serious about this whole bodyguard thing, aren't you?" She knew this was coming. When Fury asked her to take the job, she tried to tell him that a man like Stark would never accept a bodyguard. His ego wouldn't allow it.

"You bet, boss. Schedule?" Tony had his mouth open to reply when the sound of glass breaking caught their attention. Jo was moving through the house (the backup Malibu home…who has a _backup_ Malibu home?) without another thought, and she could hear Stark scrambling behind her. She paused in the doorway to the kitchen and met startled blue eyes. The woman was a few inches taller than Jo's five-seven and thin, with strawberry blonde hair and a calculating look in her eyes.

"Well, I have to say, she's not your usual type," the woman said smoothly. That's when it clicked. Pepper Potts, CEO of Stark Industries and long-time girlfriend of Tony Stark. According to the files, she was dosed with some Extremis that gave her a little something extra. It also would've burned her up from the inside out, if Tony hadn't been able to remove it from her system. Jo did a mental headshake and eye roll. One day, people would stop trying to be something they're not. Super serums never worked out right, except for Captain America. He was a little special.

"Is she calling me fat?" Jo absently heard herself ask. She could admit that she was a little on the curvy side (juicy, her mind added), but she wasn't fat. She wasn't Tony Stark's usual type though, for sure.

"She," Tony said with a pointed look at Jo before turning back to Pepper, "is my new SHIELD issued bodyguard."

"A bodyguard? You expect me to believe that _you_ have a bodyguard?" Jo shrugged, Pepper tapped her foot, and Tony ran a hand through his hair.

"I will be in the lab for the rest of the day. If I leave, JARVIS will inform you. You're dismissed." Being a laidback individual, Jo doesn't get angry very often and normally tries to avoid confrontation. It hasn't even been a day, and she's already imagining all the ways she can kill Stark and get away with it.

"Yes, boss." She turned on her heel and marched her way back to her room. The door was shut gently behind her, because there's no point in abusing furniture, and she tipped her face up to the ceiling. "Uh, JARVIS?"

"Yes, miss?" Her body tensed a little at the bodiless voice before a smile spread across her face. Yeah, she's heard about the AI system, but this…this is amazing.

"You can just call me Jo. Will you please inform me if Tony tries to leave the house?" She felt a little silly just talking to the ceiling, but she's done weirder things in her time.

"Of course, Miss Jo. Is there anything else you need?" Oh, this beat a butler any day of the week.

"Not right now, but thanks." Jo shuffled across the too soft carpet to the huge bed and dropped down onto the gray comforter. A minute later, she had her phone pressed to her ear as she waited for the other end to pick up.

"Jo! How're things in Rio?" Her body visibly relaxed at the soft voice, and she fell back against the fluffy blanket on her bed.

"Not in Rio, Andy. You'll never guess where I am." And Jo let it all come out, from relaxing in Rio to getting a call from Fury to winding up as Iron Man's bodyguard. Andy was quiet as she talked, only saying something when Jo paused to take a breath, until Jo just ran out of things to say.

"Are you sure that you're okay doing this, Jo? You don't owe SHIELD anything," Andy said. Her soft voice, without the same slow drawl as Jo's own (just like Ma's voice), always calmed Jo down.

"Yeah, I know, but it's nice to have something to do again. Maybe Stark just needs time to get used to me. Sorry about unloading all of this on ya, Andy."

"What are big sisters for? Hey, I've gotta run, but I'll call again soon. Take care of yourself, Jo." She barely had time to get out her own farewell before the phone went dead, and Jo stuffed it back into her pocket.

Andrea Eden Holbrook was three years older than her little sister, Josephine Eris Holbrook. Jo loved her big sister, but they didn't see each other all that often. They normally tried to see each other at least every other Christmas, since their birthdays were a week apart in December, but Andy had missed two in a row now. Still, Jo could call her whenever she wanted. Andy didn't always answer, true, but it was the thought that counted in the end. It'd be nice to see her only living relative a little more regularly though. Maybe, if the bodyguard gig with Stark didn't work out, she could join Andy wherever she was. Yeah, maybe…

**February 5, 2014**

Jo stumbled out into a hallway, she wasn't sure which. Why was this place so confusing? Did two people really need this much space? She bumped into something solid and moving, and she toppled backwards until her back hit the wall. A groan worked its way out of her throat as she tipped her head back, and a pair of now familiar blue eyes met hers. Jo wasn't sure how Pepper was gonna take her living in the house at first, but she'd been nothing but nice for the past two weeks.

"Mornin', Miss Pepper," Jo sleepily drawled.

"Good morning, Jo." She wiped a hand across her eyes and noticed the bags clutched in Pepper's shaking hands. Now that she was actually looking, Jo noticed how pale Pepper looked.

"Goin' somewhere?" Jo was still trying to wake up and her head felt sluggish. Pepper's knuckles whitened as she gripped the suitcase handle.

"I won't be back. Take care of him, please." Pepper hurried down the hallway, and Jo turned her head to watch the woman walk away. Pepper was leaving and not coming back…Fuck, that was so not good. Well, her job was about to get a little harder.

"JARVIS? Where's the boss?"

"Master Stark has locked himself in the lab, Miss Jo." The lab, okay. That couldn't be too bad, right? Then again, Stark is a genius and capable of so many things.

"How's he doin', JARVIS?"

"Not very well. He never made it to bed last night." Jo understands that JARVIS is computer programmed and whatnot, but his voice sounds very human. And right now? He's worried. She skipped past the kitchen, where there was coffee just waiting to be consumed, and went straight down to the lab. Sure enough, Tony was bent over a hunk of metal and welding away. This isn't uncommon, as Jo had realized over the past couple of weeks, but she wasn't so sure that welding without sleeping in over thirty hours was a good idea.

"Yo, boss! You okay?" Her rough voice carried over the sound of the torch, and Tony lifted one hand to show a thumbs-up. So the guy probably just needed to work off everything he was feeling. That was something Jo could understand, so she turned to leave the man in peace. JARVIS would let her know if he tried to leave the house without telling her, so everything was fine. Jo left the lab, without ever noticing the half empty bottle of Scotch sitting on the work table.

**February 9, 2014**

Something was pulling at her, telling her that she needed to wake up. Wake up now! Jo huffed as her eyes struggled to open, and she kicked the blanket off of her legs. The house around her was quiet, and she pushed her mind to expand. She could feel Tony's somewhat waking thoughts, but she couldn't pinpoint a location. Things have been quiet in the three days since Pepper left, and Jo has spent most of the time in her room. Knitting mostly.

"JARVIS?" Fuck, her voice sounded like shit. Water would be good. Her knees and spine popped as she stood up, and she twisted her head to get her neck to crack as well.

"Did you need something, Miss Jo?"

"Is Tony still in the lab?" Her feet shuffled across the floor, and she forced her arms up so she could put her long hair up. If she left it down, it'd just get in the way.

"He has not left the lab since Tuesday evening, miss." Tuesday evening? Pepper left Wednesday morning, so that was four days in the lab.

"At all? Has he slept? Ate? Showered?"

"Master Stark has not left to sleep or shower. Does Cragganmore count as a meal?"

"That's scotch, right?"

"Yes, miss."

"Then, no, it definitely does not count. JARVIS, if Stark goes more than twenty-four hours without sleeping or more than twelve hours without eating, inform me immediately." Jo's long legs were already eating up the distance between her room and the lab, and she growled insults under her breath as she walked. Not insults at Stark, oh no. Insults at herself. What kind of telepathic bodyguard lets her boss fall this far without noticing a damn thing? Yeah, she's not the guy's biggest fan, but that doesn't mean she can just abandon the fucking guy.

"As you wish, Miss Jo." Jo pushed her way into the lab and stopped just inside to take a look around.

"_Holy fuck,"_ was her first coherent thought. She wasn't even all the way into the lab and could already smell the expensive scotch Stark had been choking back for days. Speaking of the genius, he was slumped over a table with his eyes barely open. Jo walked over to his side and fought the urge to pinch her nose. Yeah, he definitely hadn't left in days.

"Boss? Can ya hear me?" He lifted a hand to wave her away and then let his arm flop down beside him. This was so not good. First things first, the guy really needed a shower. "Alright, boss, you brought this on yourself."

"Mfmgrl." Jo ignored whatever-the-hell-that was and bent down to throw the guy over her shoulder in a fireman's carry. He was only two inches taller, so it wasn't all that awkward of a carry. She listened as the man groaned every time she took a step, and she just prayed that he didn't puke on her. They reached his room in record time, and she was almost to the connecting bathroom when his voice called out.

"Not here!" Not in his own bedroom? She let her mind open and probed gently at his thoughts. Jo's not a fan of looking in on other people's business, but desperate times and all that. He was thinking of Pepper, and he didn't want to be in _their_ room without her. Made sense. Jo inched over to the dresser, snagged some clothes that looked somewhat appropriate, and went to where the guest bedrooms were. They had just made it into Jo's bathroom when Tony started to cough, and Jo dropped the clothes and Tony in record time. She had the billionaire on his knees in front of the toilet before the third cough, and it was just in time too. Jo's nose wrinkled as Stark threw up four days' worth of a drinking binge, and she lightly rubbed a hand across his heaving back.

"Feelin' better, boss?" she asked once the stream stopped.

"Leave me alone."

"Can you stand and shower on your own?" Tony huffed, which she took as a no. Seeing as how the guy had his face pressed against the place where her ass took up residence from time to time, she felt like it was safe to say that he couldn't stand on his own. This was going to fucking suck; she so didn't sign up for this. With a last sigh, Jo got to her feet and pulled her sleeping shirt over her head. She was wearing an old sports bra and a pair of panties, and she was gonna keep those on. Stark was still laying on her toilet, so she moved over to the shower to get it started. It was just a standing shower with no actual tub, but that was just fine. Once the water warmed up, she bent down and yanked Stark's shirt off.

"Hands off!" His thoughts were opaque at this point, and she rolled her eyes at where he thought this was going.

"Trust me, boss, I'm gonna enjoy this less than you are. You need to shower though. You're starting to smell like shit bakin' in the sun." His dulled eyes tried to glare, but it didn't really work. Jo bent a little more to tug at his pants, and she somehow managed to get him stripped bare without killing either of them.

"Mmm, too cold," he mumbled once she got them into the shower. Only Tony Stark could be dead drunk and still find a way to complain about the water temperature. Jo cranked the heat and then smiled when Stark yelped a little at the sting. Served the bastard right. Jo would've preferred to just rinse him off and be done with it, but there was no way that was going to work. His hair was caked in grease, so shampoo first.

"Hope you don't mind smelling like blueberries," she mumbled as she worked the lather into his hair. Her other arm was busy actually holding the guy up, and he wasn't helping with all of his squirming.

"Sir, Dr. Banner is on the line. Should I put him through?"

"NO!"

"YES!" Jo's command was overridden by Stark's, and a quiet click sounded over the water.

"Uh, Tony?" Jo rolled her eyes at the sound of the tentative voice. Poor bastard doesn't know what he's in for.

"Bruce! Guess where I am!" Jo shoved his head under the water and started washing the soapy lather out.

"Sorry, uh, Mr. Bruce? Tony's had a little too much to drink. I'm just trying to hose him down and get him to bed. Can he call you back later?" she said quickly. Stark was sputtering and wiggling around to get out of the spray, but his legs weren't cooperating to hold him up. When this was over, Jo was going to ask for a raise.

"You're not Pepper."

"I'm Jo, Tony's bodyguard. I promise that I'm not doing anything unprofessional, and, if we're being honest, there's a long list of women that have seen Tony Stark naked. One more isn't that big of a deal." There was a quiet chuckle over the line, and Jo finally pulled Stark's head away from the water.

"Pepper left me." Tony said it like a petulant child, with his bottom lip poked out and everything, but Jo could feel the very adult pain pounding away at his skull.

"I'm very sorry to hear that, Tony." Well, it looks like Stark really does have a friend!

"Sh-she said that, that I'm, she's…it wasn't workin' for her," Tony managed to slur out. Jo tried to balance her boss as she lathered up a sponge (not her favorite one) and started bathing him down.

"And now you're gonna smell like vanilla," she mumbled as she started washing him.

"Bruce? Jo's makin' me smell girly," Tony said with a pout.

"I'm sure you smell lovely, Tony," the nice man said.

"Yeah, so quit your pouting. This is not how I wanted to spend my morning either. Uh, Mr. Bruce? He'll call you back later, okay?"

"Yes, okay. Thank you for taking care of him."

"Just doin' my job." There was another click, signaling that the call was over, and Jo sighed in relief. Tony giggled quietly as she washed the inside of his right thigh, and she really didn't need to know her boss's ticklish spots. Really didn't.

Ten minutes later, Stark was clean, dry, and in clothes that didn't smell like a pig sty. His other clothes were probably gonna have to be burned. Jo drug the now snoring man into her room and let him flop down onto the bed. After all that, she was fucking exhausted. She grabbed her sleeping shirt from the bathroom and slipped it on, and then she fell down onto the bed next to where her boss was drooling on her pillow. Yeah, she was definitely asking for a raise. A big one. Maybe a paid vacation.

**.xXx.**

_It was cold, and it was dark. Then the sky lit up brighter than any Fourth of July, and it was all over. Falling, falling, falling…it was so _hot_, and it was all over. Accept it. Accept it. It's all over. No more parties. No more press. No more worrying about whether or not shrapnel is gonna tear through the heart and put an end to everything. No more nightmares about dark caves, white sand, and it's so _hot.

**.xXx.**

Jo woke up covered in a cold sweat with a scream lodged in her throat that was not from one of her nightmares. Her nightmares were all bright lights and dark blood, but that didn't make the fear any less real. She was reaching across the bed without another thought and a quick slap snapped Stark's eyes wide open. Bloodshot, nearly black, eyes met hers in a startled panic. Good. He felt just as off-kilter as she did. Fuck! She'd never been good at controlling the telepathy when she was sleeping; it was one of the things that made sleepovers so hard.

"What the hell? Why are you in my bed?"

"Not your bed, boss." He blinked, scrubbed the back of his hand across his mouth, and swore like a sailor. Jo was impressed. She could feel his mind flicking through the night's previous memories, so he was one of the few people that could remember everything no matter how drunk they got. She could sympathize with that.

"Do not ever do that again. Do you understand me?" Dark hazel eyes were covered in a slow blink, and Jo reached up a hand to scrub through her hair.

"Are you shittin' me right now, boss? I carried your drunk ass outta the lab, I fuckin' washed the stink off of you, and I kept your ass from drowning in the toilet bowl. And all you have to say is never do that again?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. If someone tries to shoot me in the head, get off your ass and save me. If I'm happily drunk in my lab, _leave me there_." The last three words were said with so much heat that Jo had to give herself a pat down after he stormed out to see if she had sunburn.

"You got it, boss."

**April 11, 2014**

"Clint! Thank God you're here! And Natasha! Lovely as always," Jo grinned.

"Don't make me shoot you again." Natasha's smile was sweet and deadly, and Jo slung an arm around the archer's shoulders.

"Is she really gonna shoot me?" Jo stage-whispered. Natasha's green eyes narrowed, and Clint hid his face behind Jo's massive weight of hair.

"Probably." Jo shrugged and accepted the fact that a bullet would probably tear through her brain before the night was out. Eh, whatever made Natasha happy.

"Where's Tony?" Jo picked up on the use of a first name and raised a brow at Natasha.

"Boss has locked himself in his lab and refuses to come out. I told him y'all were stopping by, and he asked me to please leave him in peace for the night," Jo said dutifully. What Tony had actually slurred was, "I don't give a fuck and all of you better stay the fuck away from my lab!" Apparently, the billionaire caught a case of sailor mouth when he was six sheets to the wind. Six, because three sheets was three weeks ago.

"How long has he been in there?" Jo looked over at Natasha, who was seated on the chair across from her. Clint was sprawled on the same couch as Jo with his feet propped in her lap.

"This time? Five days. Honestly though, he hasn't really come out since Pepper left."

"That was two months ago," Clint pointed out. Not that it was needed. Jo knew exactly how long it had been, because she'd been stuck in a silent house with a drunk. Whenever she made it to the lab and tried to talk the idiot into eating, or drinking something that wouldn't poison his liver, or showering the stink off, or maybe just taking a nap that wasn't alcohol induced…he shouted his abuse until she huffed and walked away. Once he even threw a bottle at her head, and missed, and she had to walk away before the bodyguard killed the man she was supposed to protect.

"Don't give me that look, Nat." The redhead was currently glaring holes straight through her, like it was her fault that Stark had went crazy. "I've tried everything. The one time I actually pulled him out of the lab and cleaned him up, he told me to stay away. I don't know what else to do."

"I'll go talk to him." Jo tilted her head back to watch the redhead sashay away and then glanced over at her favorite archer.

"That's the person you've chosen to love for all eternity?" Clint wiggled his toes, and Jo rolled her eyes before she started massaging his feet. She and Natasha might not see eye-to-eye, ever, but Clint and Jo got along just fine.

"Love isn't a choice."

"So you wouldn't choose her?" Clint's eyes met hers, and Jo shot him a toothy grin.

"I'd choose her every time." Jo rolled her eyes again and just kept her fingers moving. Twenty minutes later, the two of them were laughing over an old episode of Teen Titans when Natasha strolled back in. She sat back down in the same chair, crossed her legs, crossed her arms, and scowled at the TV screen.

"Did he yell at you too?" Jo suddenly asked.

"Let me know when he's sober." Clint and Jo shared a look before looking over at the redhead. In tandem, they asked, "Why?" Natasha didn't answer; she just smiled. Then again, that was answer enough.

**April 13, 2014**

For the past two days, all Jo has been able to think about is her idiotic boss down in his basement lab and drinking himself into an early grave. She's read his file, quite extensively, so she knows what he's thinking about. The telepathy doesn't hurt either. He's upset over Pepper, but that's the obvious answer. The first person he ever loved, at least romantically, had left him. That stung, of course it did. That's not where the story stopped though. No, Tony Stark wasn't just heartbroken. Tony Stark was scared. Fuck that. Tony Stark was fucking _terrified_. In the midst of all the heartbreak, there was fear. So much fear that even Jo felt her heart skip a beat whenever she looked inside.

He is scared of Afghanistan, of dark caves and his heart struggling to beat (_it was his tech, his **brilliant **mind, that killed so many people…that killed him_). He is scared of the people he trusts, the ones who can get close and rip his heart out (_he can't move, can't talk, can barely even breathe and Obadiah is holding his heart up, because the arc reactor is his heart now, and he's going to die_). He is scared of New York, with the gaping hole into another universe that can trap him forever and the falling (_it's cold, it's hot, it's dark, it's so **bright**_). He is scared of the people that he's wronged, of people that can hurt him and people that can hurt her (_it's a good thing she left, maybe she'll be safe now_).

The fear has been eating away at Jo just as long as it's been eating away at Tony, and it's time to put an end to it. He's been torn open, so now it's time for the healing to start.

"JARVIS? How forgiving would you say Stark is?" Jo asked the ceiling. She was standing in the center of her room, wearing nothing but a faded green tank top and a pair of bright pink boxer panties.

"Not very, miss." Jo nodded her head, she'd figured as much, as she started twisting her hair up on top of her head.

"How about his policy on violence?" She stretched her lax muscles out a bit and tried to pump herself up. This was so not a good idea.

"He's not against it."

"Good enough. Wish me luck, JARVIS."

"Good luck, miss." Jo grinned at the ceiling as she walked down the hallway, and she mentally prepared herself as she stormed into the lab. This was not going to go her way, it was going to hurt, but it had damned well better fucking work.

"Stark!" Dark hazel eyes watched as the muscles around a protruding spine tensed, and she swallowed against the lump in her throat. Holy fuck, Stark was thin. If she turned her head, she could see the way his ribs popped against the tight shirt he was wearing.

"Get out." He didn't even bother to shout, and he just sounded fucking exhausted. The smell of cheap booze was heavy in the air, so he apparently was too far gone to even care about what he was drinking anymore. Whatever got the job done was good enough.

"Get off your ass, Stark. You need to get cleaned up, eat a little something, and then sleep for a week. Come on, I'll help you." The man spun around on the stool he was sitting on, and Jo took a step forward as he wobbled to the side. He managed to right himself, and Jo let her arm fall back to her side.

"Are you deaf or something? Is super hearing not one of your super powers?" His skin was waxy and pale, from the horrible diet and lack of sunshine. He seemed like he was sunken in on himself, and there were dark bruises under his bloodshot eyes.

"Nope, just normal hearing. Ready to go?" His chapped lips pulled into a thin line, and Jo could feel the angry snarl of his mind. He wanted to be left alone, but the asshole's been alone for two months.

"Get out."

"Or what?" Jo crossed her arms and locked her legs, and then immediately tried not to think about how ridiculous she looked in her tank top and panties. Whatever. Proper intervention attire doesn't exist.

"I'll fire you."

"Sorry, boss. Unless you're in your right mind, I can't accept that. When you're sober and not starving, I might let you fire me. Now, are you ready to go?" His eyes were unwavering as he stared at her, so Jo shrugged and stalked forward.

"Don't you even—" Jo grabbed a handful of his shirt at the shoulder and yanked him to his feet, and her left ear immediately started ringing. She stumbled back, with one hand still holding onto Stark's shoulder, to see Tony gripping a metal pipe in his right hand.

"Really, boss? That's how you want to play it?"

Jo pulled him towards her and raised her other hand to catch the pipe before it could make contact again. She dropped it to the floor, saw the red pulsing in Stark's mind, and decided _fuck it_. If this was what he needed to get over all the shit clouding his mind, then so be it. He couldn't have picked a better person to go ape-shit on. Her fist knocked against the underside of his chin, and a returned right hook made her own jaw feel a bit unhinged. For someone that was malnourished, sleep deprived, and drunk, Stark packed one helluva punch. From then on, Jo relaxed her body and let her boss wail on her. Bones cracked and splintered under the constant pressure and blood dripped from the side of her head to stain the floor. It was constant, but Jo just let it happen. Tony might be weak, but he had rage backing him up and making the hits that much harder. Still, it would be worth it in the end. Because what comes after the rage has burned out?

"Why!" A fist cracked her fifth rib on the left side. (_Fight back!_)

"Wont!" Another fist rocked her head to the side and made the ringing in her ear start up again. (_Quit looking at me!_)

"You!" A direct hit to the sternum had her coughing and wheezing. (_Over the heart._)

"Leave!" A metal table broke her nose as her face was slammed into it. (_Do something! Anything!_)

"Me!" Her feet slid on the fallen metal pipe, and a groan was pushed out as her back connected with another table (_Stay down!_)

"Alone!" Knuckles split her lips, and she sputtered as she gulped down fresh blood. A callused hand wrapped tight around her throat and squeezed, and fiery bloodshot eyes stared down into hers. Jo raised a hand to wrap her fingers around a too thin wrist, and she used the hold to pull herself up and suck in a breath. Her chest burned as it expanded, and her nose was clogged with blood. She's taken worse beatings over the years, a helluva lot worse, but that doesn't mean Stark's beating doesn't still hurt like a bitch.

"Because someone has to take care of your stubborn ass." Jo tried to smile, she really did, but the cuts on her lips and cheeks split open again and ruined the everything's-okay effect she was going for. Tony shook his head, like he was trying to clear it, and it surprisingly worked. Jo listened in as the rage died down and was swept away. Of course, without the rage clouding his judgment, Stark was starting to realize what had just happened.

"I didn't mean to—" And there was the guilt, which was quickly cut off as Jo slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Don't worry about it, Stark. You've been hiding down here for weeks and bottlin' everything up. It was time to get it all out, and I'll be fine. I'll be all healed up and lookin' pretty by tomorrow morning, but you gotta stop doin' this to yourself. You're killin' yourself, boss." To Jo's surprise, she was crying. A few little tears slipped down her cheeks, and she watched Stark's eyes track their trails. His mouth opened and closed, and Jo could practically taste the pain in Stark's thoughts now. The rage was burned out.

"I don't—"

"C'mere." Jo tangled her fingers in the greasy mess of his hair and lowered his head to the top of her chest. She was well-endowed (and damn proud of it!), and she knew the calming effect that a good girly hug had on some people. Sure enough, Stark slumped against her beaten body. Hot tears ran down her bare skin as Stark cried in silence, and Jo let her own quiet tears fall into the man's greasy hair. She didn't particularly like Stark, but the man was falling the fuck apart. She'd also been privy to his worst fears for the past two months, and she was starting to feel a little protective over the asshole.

"What is wrong with me?" he suddenly groaned out. His hot breath felt weird on the cooling tear tracks, and Jo shivered lightly in his arms. Her several injuries did not thank her for the movement.

"You're fucked up, Stark." She felt a huff against her wet skin but managed to control the chills this time.

"Thanks. Great pep talk."

"We're all a little fucked up, yours is just showing. Don't worry, I'll get ya back in fightin' form."

"I just kicked your ass." He pulled back enough to look at her, and Jo let her hand fall from his hair to his face. She gently wiped the sweat from his cheeks and smiled. (Not the tears, because Tony Stark doesn't cry.)

"I wasn't fighting back. Now, let's go get cleaned up. Can you walk?"

"I think so." He was a little wobbly, so Jo followed him to his room. She didn't leave until she heard the shower start and then she wandered off to her own room.

**.xXx.**

When Tony stepped out of his steamy bathroom, in nothing but a pair of loose pajama pants, he found his bodyguard sitting cross-legged on his bed. Her hair had been put up again, because he'd pulled it loose earlier. She was still wearing the same bright pink panties and bloodstained tank top, but she'd washed the blood off her body. She looked up when she heard him enter, and Tony waited for the floor to open up and swallow him whole. He could get a little violent and rough sometimes, but he'd never done anything like this. Mutant or not, Jo was still a woman and he'd…Had he really done that?

Her nose still looked broken, and dark bruises moved to cover the space under her eyes. Deep cuts showed on her cheeks, and her swollen lips were split in three different places. There were even more bruises on her arms and thighs, and he'd bet money that her ribs were just as dark. There was a circular bruise over her sternum, just above her breasts, and she had blood in her hair from where he hit her with the pipe. He stopped next to the bed right in front of her, and she tipped her face back to look up at him. The move showed off the bruises on her throat, where he choked her. A single finger traced over the inflamed marks, and a callused hand gripped his wrist to stop him.

"Ya gotta stop worryin' about it so much, Tony," she whispered in that rough voice of hers. Why was her voice so rough? And she spoke in a slow drawl, so was she from one of the southern states? He'd never asked; she was still a stranger.

"You called me Tony." That made her smile, and she sucked back the bead of blood that welled up on her bottom lip at the stretch.

"Yeah, well, a right hook is like a secret friendship handshake to me."

"You're deranged."

"I'm not the only one, so let's talk about you for a second. You've gotta stop this." Her dark hazel eyes were pleading up at him, and he had a vague recollection of Natasha saying something similar a couple of days ago.

"Well, you're gonna have to help me."

"What can I do?" She was asking for instructions, and Tony pulled in a deep breath. This was not going to be easy, but it was the right decision. Looking at her bruised face was enough to reassure him of that. Even now, he could feel the heat from the bruises on her throat under his palm.

"Hide the booze and don't let me get near any. Shove food down my throat. Sneak sleeping pills into said food. Do whatever it takes and ignore most of what I say."

"That won't be a problem." She grinned up at him and then removed his hand from her throat. "And now, it's bedtime." Less than a minute later, he was buried under his blankets and blinking sleepily at the woman silhouetted in his doorway.

"Thank you, Jo." It was the first time he'd called her by her name, and it was too bad that he couldn't see her expression.

"Just doing my job. G'night, Tony."

**Finis: **I said it would be longer, didn't I? This chapter might be a little controversial, I'm not sure. I realize that I made Tony into an abusive drunk, but I have my reasons! I think that he's been suppressing all of his issues (his entire life) since the first _Iron Man_ movie, and I think that getting with Pepper helped his denial because he had something good to focus on. [Quick little note: I absolutely love Pepper Potts and will not hate on her.] After Pepper left, there was nothing good left to focus on and everything started building up. In short, Tony never dealt with anything and it came back to bite him in the ass. If there's any questions (or if you just want to talk superheroes), leave a review!


	3. The Arctic Balls Incident

**TIB: **I've made a tiny adjustment; I changed Jo's sister's name to Andy. Why? I have no idea. I just liked the way it sounded better. Also, if you want an idea of what the sisters look like, I'm basing Jo's overall appearance on model Tara Lynn and Andy's appearance is going to be based off Alyson Hannigan (when she was brunette). So, yeah.

Thanks to everyone who's read so far! Also, real quick; if Tony Stark had a tattoo, what would it be and where?

* * *

"_Friendship isn't about whom you have known the longest. It's about who came and never left your side."  
__**Unknown**_

**.xXx.**

**Chapter Three  
****The Arctic Balls Incident**

* * *

**April 14, 2010**

"Master Stark is awake, Miss Jo." A groan echoed in the lab as Jo raised up on her knees, and her spine gave an audible pop as she straightened. The bloodstains on the floor were now gone, so that was one less thing she had to worry about. Of course, before starting housekeeping duty, she'd cleaned out every drop of alcohol in the house. With JARVIS's help, she even knew where all the emergency stashes were. Jo thanked the AI and then wandered throughout the house until she found Tony, because he was Tony now. She'd seen him naked and let him break her face; they were total bros now.

"Mornin', Tony. How's the hangover?" He was sitting at the bar in the kitchen, and Jo just hoped that he didn't fall off his stool. Bleary brown eyes met hers and then quickly widened as he took her in. She was dressed about the same as the night before, this time in orange boxer panties and a white tank top. Her hair was put up as usual, but Jo had a feeling that Tony didn't care about what she was wearing.

"The bruises are gone," he whispered.

"You watched me get shot in the head but it's the disappearing bruises that surprise you?" She was already putting some bread in the toaster, because she figured that'd be the easiest on his stomach. Being what she was, she never had to deal with hangovers for long. She also didn't know shit about quitting alcohol cold turkey, so JARVIS had been reading to her about all the possibilities. One thing was for certain, this wasn't going to be easy.

"Most people need a few days," Tony mumbled as he slumped against the bar.

"Will you feel better if I tell you my ribs are still healing? You broke one pretty good." He looked even paler when Jo glanced over her shoulder, but she doesn't have time to pet the man's ego.

"What's for breakfast?" Good, he was attempting to be normal.

"Toast and a fried egg." A few moments later, she set a plate and a glass of orange juice in front of him. Before, she wondered who did the grocery shopping because Tony never left (so she never did) but food kept magically appearing. That's when JARVIS informed her that he had a pre-saved list, with things added and taken off at Tony's discretion, that was sent to some catering service that got whatever Tony wanted. His wealth was frightening, and very convenient. "Eat up."

"Thanks," Tony managed to get out as Jo took a seat next to him. She was happily munching on her own toast when Tony's fork hit the floor, and she looked over to see him clenching his shaking hand into a fist. JARVIS said shaking was normal, so she reached over and placed her hand over his.

"Don't worry about it. I'll grab another one." She slipped off her stool, picked up the fork, and brought over a clean one. Tony took it without saying a word or meeting her eyes, but Jo didn't take offense. They were both in for a long day.

"Can I go to the lab now?" Tony asked five minutes later. His plate was clean and his glass was empty, so that was a nice start.

"Yeah, sure. I'll bring you some lunch by later." He nodded and ran off, and Jo turned to watch him hurry away. A very long few days.

**.xXx.**

"Yo, Tony! I brought down a sammich, so you better—Tony?" Wide dark brown eyes met hers, and Jo noted the way his body kept continuously shaking. Sweat covered his face and slicked his hair down, and he was looking a little green around the edges.

"Not hungry," he grumbled and turned away. The guy looked dead on his feet, and Jo had to stop herself from forcing him to eat. Instead, she gently set down the plate holding a delicious turkey sandwich at his elbow along with a bottle of water. She wanted to comfort him, but comfort didn't always come naturally to her. She tried to think of what Andy had done when their Ma passed away; that should work, right?

"I'll come back around midnight to drag your ass to bed. Tell JARVIS if you need me." She gently pressed her fingertips against his scalp as she spoke and then quickly left the room. Maybe, once this part was over, she should ask for that raise.

**.xXx.**

True to her word, Jo waited until midnight to go check on the genius. He was sitting in the same spot, but the water bottle was empty and he'd eaten the sandwich at some point. He was still shaking slightly, but that obviously wasn't enough to slow him down. Still, the guy needed to rest. It'd still be a few days before the shakes stopped. Right now, he'd made it nearly twenty-four hours without a drop of alcohol. According to JARVIS's research, DTs normally hit somewhere between twenty-four and forty-eight hours. So, Day Two was gonna be rough.

"Alright, Tony, time to go. I don't reckon you feel like eating anything?" Tony groaned aloud, so she was gonna take that as a no. "Yeah, that's what I thought. Just means an earlier bedtime."

"I just need to—"

"Whatever it is, it can wait until morning. Come on, you need to sleep." Tony protested, probably on principle, and then let Jo pull him from the lab. The two shuffled down the hallways together, and Jo steered Tony into his bedroom.

"I don't need a babysitter," he huffed as she marched him into the bathroom.

"Not a babysitter, a bodyguard."

"Oh yeah? What are you protecting me from? Soap scum?"

"Yourself." With that, Jo pushed him into the bathroom and closed the door. When Tony reemerged later in loose sleeping pants and wet hair, Jo was sitting on his bed and patting the spot next to her. Tony plopped down next to her and dropped his wet hair onto her mostly bare shoulder. Jo brushed away a lock of wet hair on his forehead and then reached over to the bedside table. She shook her shoulder to make Tony lift his head and then she passed over the goodies.

"Sleeping pills?" he asked and looked over at her.

"Thought you might have a few problems sleeping. Those even work on me sometimes, so they should work on you. Go ahead. Down a couple." Tony smirked at her and then popped two of the pills. The bottle of water washed them down, and Jo helped him get under the blankets. Once he was settled, Jo stood up to make her exit.

"Jo?" She looked down at the sweaty and shaking fingers wrapped around her wrist but didn't say anything. "Will you stay here, until…"

Jo could've laughed and said something about being a babysitter after all, but she didn't. Tony Stark was a proud man; she knew that before ever laying eyes on the guy. For him to ask someone to stay with him until he fell asleep, that was big. That was showing vulnerability in a huge way, and Jo felt oddly humbled by the request.

"Budge over, Tin Man." Tony glared at her, but he still scooted over. Instead of laying down, Jo propped her back up against the headboard and stretched her legs out in front of her. Tony was under the blankets and Jo was sitting on top of them, but Jo was fine without a blanket. After a little prodding and shuffling, Tony moved over to bury his face in her stomach. His arms formed a band around her thighs, and his legs were pulled up tight against his body. The shakes were getting harder now, but Tony's eyes were closed. The sleeping pills should kick in soon. Jo buried one hand in his wet hair and the other made sweeping circles on his sweaty back.

**.xXx.**

Jo was jolted out of sleep at the feeling of the bed shaking, and her eyes opened just in time to see a half-asleep Tony stumbling out of the blanket as he ran off the bed and into the bathroom. The sound of violent puking met her ears a moment later, and she groggily rose out of the bed. Tony was on his knees and making his prayers to the porcelain gods when Jo made it to the bathroom, and she dropped to her knees next to him. She pushed back the hair hanging over his forehead and hummed lightly in the back of her throat. When Tony finally quit puking up the bile in his stomach, he fell to the side and against her. The shakes had turned into tremors, and Jo wrapped her arms around his lightly convulsing body.

"Holy fuck, Tony," she mumbled. The guy was obviously not doing well. Jo held onto Tony with one arm and blindly reached over her head with the other one. She managed to snag the bottle of Listerine and tipped Tony's head back to pour some in. "Come on and swish for me."

"Grrgl." Yeah, that made sense. She waited at least thirty seconds before propping Tony up and holding his head over the toilet.

"Now spit for me." It wasn't the most pleasant thing ever, but desperate measures. Once he was done, Jo glanced up at the ceiling. "Hey, JARVIS? Can you flush?"

"Of course, miss." The toilet flushed without Jo having to stretch her toes, and she leaned her head back against the sink for a moment. Tony was still shaking up a storm, so getting him back to bed was the top priority. Her first option was to gently get Tony back to his feet and then shuffle their way back into the bedroom. The second option was to just pick him up and carry him back to bed herself. The first option was better for his pride, but the second option was quicker. Second it was.

"Put me down, you barbarian," Tony groaned.

"Do you prefer the fireman's carry?" She was holding him bridal style this time, and Tony stopped groaning long enough to glare up at her. Jo laughed quietly as she settled Tony back into bed and pulled the blankets up to his chin. Stark pulled her down to next him, and they moved into the same position as the night before. Jo frowned as Tony dropped back into sleep, and she brushed a hand across his sweaty forehead. This was not good. Not good at all.

"JARVIS?"

"Yes, Miss Jo?" Tony turned his face completely into her stomach, and Jo brushed a hand through his sweaty hair instead.

"Does Tony have any doctor friends?"

"Yes. Would you like me to contact him?"

"That'd be awesome, JARVIS." Tony was shaking so hard that the bed was shaking along with him, even though he was fast asleep. A few minutes later, there was a quiet clicking sound.

"Uh, Tony?" Jo bit the inside of her cheek and tried to remember where she'd heard that voice before.

"No, my name is Jo. I'm—"

"Tony's bodyguard, yes, I remember. The last time we spoke, you were hosing him down?" Ah, now she remembered. It was Tony's nice friend.

"That's me. I'm afraid I can't remember your name."

"Bruce. My name is Bruce."

"And you're a doctor?" Tony was groaning quietly in his sleep, and his legs were scissoring under the blanket.

"Of a sorts. Is there something I can help you with?"

"Yeah, there is. Look, Doc, I normally wouldn't breach confidence like this, but I'm a little out of my depth here." Tony was holding onto her thighs hard enough to bruise, and all she knew to do was hold him a little tighter.

"Is Tony okay?"

"Well, remember the drinking incident the last time we talked? Well, Tony never really stopped drinking after that. Fuck, Doc, he's been drunk for two months. He was barely eating, and the only time he slept was when he passed out. He had a little enlightenment night before last, and I got rid of all the booze. What time is it? Three? In the morning? _Fuck_. Okay. Yesterday morning I got him to eat some toast and an egg, and he had a turkey sandwich for lunch. I drug him off to bed three hours ago and gave him a sleeping pill, and he just woke up to puke everything right back out. And now he won't stop shaking, he's soaked in sweat, and I don't know what to do."

Jo sucked in a deep breath after getting all of that out and felt a lot better. Or, well, she would've felt better if her boss and possible friend wasn't clinging to her for dear life and making her whole body shake. Yeah, JARVIS had read out the possible symptoms, but Jo was in over her head here. And this Bruce guy seemed like a good friend, so maybe Tony wouldn't kill her when he found out that she let someone else in on what was happening with him. Because honestly? She needed the help.

"He hasn't had any alcohol in the past twenty-four hours, at all?"

"Not a drop. After he passed out the other night, I cleaned the house out. JARVIS even told me where the secret stashes were, all under Tony's orders, of course."

"The sweating and shaking are normal, especially if his alcohol consumption before now was constant. How bad is the shaking?" The doctor had a calming voice, very zen, but it wasn't getting through to the sleeping billionaire.

"Well, he's shaking me and the bed. How long will this last?"

"NO!" Tony jumped up so fast that his head knocked into Jo's chin, and Jo swore colorfully as she bit down on her tongue and swallowed blood.

"Uh, Doc?" Tony's arms were wrapped tight around Jo's head and pressing her cheek tight against his arc reactor.

"Shh, Pep, don't let him hear you," Tony whispered.

"Tony? Can you hear me? Can you understand what I'm saying?" At the sound of the doctor's voice, Tony tensed further and Jo groaned as the arc reactor pressed harder against her cheek.

"I'll keep you safe this time," Tony whispered into her hair. The doctor was being strangely quiet, so Jo decided it was time to take a look into Tony's thoughts. Hallucinating. That totally made sense. To Tony, Killian was looking for Pepper. He was going to inject a stronger version of Extremis, one that Tony wouldn't be able to cure. Jo, of course, was playing the role of Pepper. Tony still didn't have a suit to call for, and his anxiety was spiking through the roof.

"Hey, Doc? Any tips for dealing with hallucinations?"

"Got a way to knock him unconscious?"

"Yeah, but he's not gonna like it." Jo managed to peek up at her boss, and she put as much force as she could without killing him into a hit directly to his temple. She twisted out of his arms and managed to catch him as he crumbled, and she made quiet little humming sounds as she eased him back down.

"How did you…?"

"I'm pretty strong for a girl. Any tips for when he wakes up?"

"Well, uh, the hallucinations should only last for a day or two. The nausea might last a little longer, so try to stay away from heavy foods. The shaking will probably last for a while, I'm afraid. How's he doing right now?" Jo glanced down at where Tony was drooling on her thigh and wrinkled her nose.

"Sleeping like a baby. Thanks for this, Doc. I guess I just kinda panicked for a moment," Jo said with a quiet laugh at the end.

"It's completely okay. Please, feel free to call me again if you need anything. And again, thank you for helping him."

"Eh, the jackass kinda grows on you after a while, doesn't he?" She listened to the doctor's own quiet laugh and sagged back against the headboard.

"Yeah. Yeah, I guess he does. Um, JARVIS?"

"Sir?"

"Please contact me if things look, uh, dire?"

"Of course, sir."

"Thanks again, Doc." He might've said goodbye, but Jo never heard it. She was already fast asleep.

**April 15, 2014**

Bruce was pulled out of sleep by his ringing phone, and he almost ignored it in favor of getting a little more sleep. Very few people actually had his number though, and only one person called him regularly. There could be something wrong with Tony, or his bodyguard could be freaking out again. His bodyguard…As Bruce groped around for his phone, he thought about the woman Tony had called him to rant about a few months ago. Tony was angry at Fury for appointing him a bodyguard, and he was even angrier about the fact that he couldn't pull up a single thing on the woman. All Bruce knew her as was _her_ at first, until she told him her name. Bruce finally grabbed the phone and hit speaker.

"Hello?"

"No, no, no, no." The word was being chanted like a mantra, and Bruce could barely recognize the voice over the clicking sound of chattering teeth.

"That you, Doc?" The woman's rough voice sounded strained, and Bruce sat up in his bed.

"What's happening?" Bruce asked quickly.

"Tony, no, don't touch that. Leave the water off," the woman said quickly.

"Jo?"

"He slipped out of the bed without me noticing. When I woke up, I found him in the tub. The water is freezing, but he won't let me get him out. Every time I try, he goes fuckin' ballistic. I could just knock him out again, but I don't think giving him brain damage is a good idea. I don't know what to do here, Doc." She sounded completely panicked, and he could still hear Tony chanting in the background.

"What's he seeing?"

"How should I know?" The words were bitten out, like she was shivering too.

"Tony told me about you, and I know you're a telepath. What's he seeing?" he repeated.

"It's like a spin cycle in there, Doc. The only thing I can really pick up is the heat."

"The heat?" What kind of heat was so bad that it had Tony Stark hallucinating in a freezing cold shower?

"The desert in Afghanistan, the explosion in space, the fire Pepper fell into…he needs the cold, but his lips are blue and I'm pretty sure his balls have frozen off." Okay, so Tony Stark was hallucinating naked in the tub. Jesus, but he never thought Tony was suffering this much. Funny, he always thought the genius billionaire playboy philanthropist was too cool to go through PTSD. It goes to show just how stupid geniuses can be.

"Is there any way that you can calm his mind? Stop the hallucinations?" There was a pause, and he calmly waited for her to speak again.

"I'm not that good, Doc. I can read thoughts, but I can't manipulate them." She sounded a little upset, which was something that Bruce could understand.

"Have you ever tried?"

"Well, no, but…"

"Try it. Tell me what it sounds like, what it looks like, what it feels like. Maybe that'll help." He could hear her take a shuttering breath over the sound of Tony's ghostly mantra, and there was the squeaking sound of wet flesh against wet porcelain.

"People always think telepathy is hearing a single thought at a time, but it's not like that for me. People normally have several thoughts going at once, and people like Tony have so much going on at one time that it's like getting swept into a tornado. There's color to the thoughts too. Can you believe that, Doc?" She laughed quietly and continued on, "Right now, Tony's thoughts are black, like the black hole that he flew into. Being in his mind hurts, it stings, but I can see where the thoughts originate from. There's a sensory memory that comes from this too. With our minds connected, it's like I'm reliving everything with him. I can feel the hot white sand hitting my face. I can feel my lungs struggling to breathe but there's no air. I can feel the muscles in my arm tearing as I reach for Pepper, but it's too late because she's been swallowed by the fire. I feel like I'm drowning in him."

"Just try to stay calm, Jo, okay? Can you hear me breathing?" He took an exaggerated breath and released it with an exaggerated exhale. He did it a few more times and strained his ears to hear what was happening on the other side of the phone.

"Thanks, Doc. So I can find the source easily enough, but now what?" Bruce wracked his so-called genius brain and tried to think something up. The telepath was very descriptive, so maybe something visual would work best.

"Okay, try to picture a box. A big black box, it's heavy and strong. Can you picture it?"

"Yeah, kinda like the chest I kept at the foot of my bed in boarding school."

"Something like that is perfect. Now, put those thoughts, those hallucinations, into the box and lock it up. Can you do that, Jo?"

"I can try." There was silence for a little while and then he heard the sound of quiet little whimpers. The squeaking noise from earlier was back, and Tony's repetitive no's were cut off with a long groan. Then Tony yelped and Jo grunted, and Bruce was worried that it was a bad idea after all.

"Holy shit! What is goin' on?!" Tony yelled.

"I guess it worked, Doc," Jo said breathily.

"Did you cut off my balls?!"

"I needed earrings to wear to the prom." Bruce chuckled in amusement and relief, and he listened as Tony squawked and Jo laughed.

"Bruce?! Who else did you invite to my indecency?"

"Don't worry, boss. I'm the only one stuck lookin' at your naughty bits. The good doctor's been spared this sight, and a good thing too. I might need therapy when this is all over," Jo laughed.

"I am not that kind of doctor," Bruce said quickly. He spent a few days at Tony's place after the whole Extremis incident, and he'd never slept so much before in his life. A therapist he was not.

"I dunno, Doc. You really helped me out earlier."

"How? What's going on? Why are we in the tub?"

"The Doc can explain while we get out of the freezing cold tub and you put on some pants. Speaking of, I'm borrowing some clothes since mine are soaked." Bruce briefly explained what had happened, or at least what he knew of it, as Tony and Jo dried off and put on clean clothes. When he was through, they were both settled into bed and covered with blankets.

"You locked away my hallucinations?" Tony sounded like a mix between scared and impressed, and Bruce was too. Telepathy was both amazing and dangerous.

"Your dangly bits almost got frostbite. You should be thanking me, and the Doc."

"Thank you, Bruce." There was the sound of a pained grunt, so Bruce just assumed that Jo hit Tony.

"Yeah, thanks, Doc. I didn't even know I could do that, and I never would've been able to do it without your help," Jo said with a voice full sincerity.

"You _experimented_ on me?!"

"I thought you liked experiments?" Bruce was starting to feel like an interloper, so maybe it was time to hang up and go back to sleep.

"Um, I think I'm just going to—"

"Hey, Doc, what else can we expect? We're coming out of day three, so the hallucinations should stop now, right?" Jo said quickly.

"Yes, the hallucinations should be over. The nausea, anxiety, and shaking will probably last for a little longer," Bruce said quietly. He heard Tony and Jo groaning in tandem, so at least they were both on the same wavelength now.

"Don't worry, Tony, the Doc and I will be by your side. Unless you strip down and get into a freezing cold shower again. Then you're on your own," Jo said quickly. Bruce could hear Tony grumbling in the background, and Bruce felt a little better knowing that Tony was in good hands and would be okay.

"As my bodyguard, it is your duty and privilege to assist me no matter the water temperature."

"Privilege? You hearin' this, Doc?"

"I'm hearing it," he said with a laugh.

"You definitely need some more sleep, boss. Say goodnight to the good doctor."

"Goodnight, Bruce!"

"G'night, Doc!"

"Goodnight, Tony. Goodnight, Jo." He ended the call and tossed his phone onto the little table next to the bed.

**May 2, 2014**

It's been two weeks since what Jo has dubbed the "Arctic Balls Incident," and things have gotten better around the Malibu home. Tony still doesn't sleep as much as most people, but Jo has discovered that's just the way Tony is. He still has to take it easy on foods that are dripping grease, because he puked up his last Big Mac. (Speaking of, who knew that _McDonalds_ could be delivered?) The hallucinations stopped completely, the box holding them just seemed to melt away, but the nightmares were still going strong. Tony still hasn't touched a drop of alcohol, so there's that. Today, however, they're going to start something new.

"I hate you so much," Tony mumbled.

"Come on, baby! Work it for me!"

"Remind me to make a note to kill you," Tony huffed out.

"Tank, remember? JARVIS! Hit me with your best shot!" _Sexy and I Know It_ started playing, and Jo thought Tony was going to cry. He lost so much weight during his two month drinking binge that his muscle tone is just gone, and it's time to slowly build it back up. Since it's only day one, Jo decided to be nice and start small. Now Tony is running on the treadmill and cursing the first time they met. A body dropped down from the ceiling, and Jo squealed as strong hands grabbed hers and started spinning her. Blue eyes flecked with golden brown, for today, met hers. Jo tossed her head back with a laugh and let her favorite archer dance her around. When the song finished, they fell against each other laughing and tried to catch their breath.

"Is he high?" Jo dimly heard Tony ask. Ah, that meant Natasha was around somewhere.

"Their collective IQ is significantly lower than their individual ones," Natasha explained coolly. Jo stopped giggling just in time to look up and see Natasha's open palm clap against the back of Tony's head, and Jo's giggles erupted anew at the look on her boss's face. She fell back into Clint, who was laughing so hard that tears were tracking down his cheeks.

"Laugh it up! I've got half a mind to put you out on the streets," Tony growled.

"I've got six homes on four continents. I think I'd sleep just fine if you kicked me out," Jo said. Although she was a little startled that she wasn't telling the truth. If she left, she'd actually miss Tony. Secret friendship handshake indeed.

"Why are you two here?" Tony finally asked.

"We had some down time," Natasha said simply.

"I can cook a mean steak," Clint grinned.

"I brought some rolls," Natasha added. Tony's had problems keeping food down, but maybe…maybe he'll be able to keep it all down this time.

"Sounds like a party." Tony's skin was starting to look a little healthier, but his weight was still down too low. He's been pretty isolated too, except for Jo and random delivery guys, so this should be good for him.

Jo led the way to the kitchen, where Clint already had his steaks laid out and ready to throw on one of Tony's mini-grills. Natasha passed over the rolls with a smile, and Jo rolled her eyes as she took the bag and made her over to the stove. Since she already had the rolls in the oven, she decided to bake some potatoes too. Those should work okay with Tony's stomach. Clint and Natasha took up most of the conversation during the cooking and talked about some of the missions they'd been on, both joint and separate. It kept them all laughing, so it didn't feel like long at all before Clint and Jo were setting food out on the actual kitchen table. Tony and Jo normally just ate at the bar, so it was different sitting in a chair and eating supper like normal people.

"I didn't know you could cook this good," Jo said as she speared another bite of steak. Her eyes kept flicking over to Tony, who was eating his own meal slowly.

"Don't let him fool you, this is the extent of his culinary expertise," Natasha threw out.

"Hey!" All it took was a single eyebrow raise to shut him up, and Clint pouted down at his baked potato. They finished up eating, and Jo quickly snatched up Tony's half-eaten plate and dropped it on top of her cleaned off one.

"I'll come back and get the rest of the dishes in a moment." Jo was popping Tony's now saran-wrapped plate into the microwave for later when the sound of rushing water caught her ears, and she looked over her shoulder to see Natasha placing the other dishes into the sink. "What're you doin', Nat?"

"We're doing the dishes." Jo learned not to argue with Natasha after the third shot to the head, so she shuffled over and added her own plate to the pile. Natasha was wearing a short sleeved shirt, and she had soap suds halfway up her arms. Jo took her place beside her at the double-sink and readied herself for the rinsing.

"Something on your mind, Nat?" Jo learned not to peek into Natasha's mind after the second shot to the head.

"He…shakes." Jo clenched her jaw and thought of the way that Tony's hands shook as he held his silverware. She thought of the way he had to be careful whenever he raised a glass so he wouldn't spill it.

"That's normal. He's always drank pretty sporadically, but it was very intense for a few months. It'll take a little while for the withdrawal effects to wear off," Jo murmured.

"He's okay, right?" Jo caught a flash of Tony sitting in his big porcelain bathtub, with his lips blue and his whole body vibrating.

"Yeah, he'll be fine. You really care about him, huh?"

"Don't be ridiculous."

"Wow, that is a lot. I can see why." The two women exchanged a glance, and then both turned back to the tasks in front of them. They didn't say another word as they washed and rinsed, but they didn't have to.

**.xXx.**

"Come on, it's time to breathe a little fresh air," Jo said and started tugging on Tony's arm. He tried to resist, but as Jo kept reminding him, she was stronger. A few minutes later, Jo had successfully dragged her boss up onto the roof. Tony staggered to a stop once they got there and took a good look around. There was a big cushioned lawn chair, a big table with a wireless radio and giant umbrella, and a single tiki torch on top of his roof.

"When did this happen?" he asked. Jo looked up from the now lit torch and smiled over at him. The flames brought out the red undertones of her hair, and her smile showed the dimple in her left cheek.

"About a week after I moved in. I like being able to see the sky, so JARVIS helped me set it up," she shrugged.

"The traitor," Tony grumbled. Jo was reclined back in the chair now, and she patted the spot between her long spread legs. With an eye roll to show his disgruntlement, Tony plopped into the proffered seat and slumped boneless against his bodyguard. The back of his head was comfortably pillowed against her breasts, and her strong but still soft thighs cradled his hips. Her arms wrapped around his torso, and she laced her fingers just under the arc reactor. Tony brought his own hands up to cover hers, and he used one hand to lightly trace the tattoos covering her left arm.

"See? It's not so bad, is it?" He just snorted as a response, and he could _hear_ Jo's smug smile. He tapped his fingers against her marked skin and then moved on. The tattoos were of birds and flowers, but they were mostly black. In a few places there were splashes of color; a piece of a blue wing, a few red petals, a purple beak, a green stem…it was like someone just threw paint around and let whatever stick stay. Still, the majority of her left arm was covered in black ink. He also knew, thanks to the tank tops and balled up hair, that she had a tattoo of a spine going down her, well, _spine_. It looked like an x-ray, and he knew that the ink disappeared into her hairline.

"Do you have any more tattoos?"

"You've seen the one on my foot?" She lifted her left foot, and Tony craned his head up to get a look. Honestly, he'd never really paid attention before. Now though, now he was looking. The tattoo of a black chain was wrapped around her ankle, and another chain traveled down the center of her foot with a black anchor hanging from it. Trailing from the right side of the anchor was a purple bird, and it was connected to the anchor by a slim line that connected with its foot. Coming off the other side was a blue orchid that was connected to the anchor by another slim line that looped around a hidden stem.

"Does it mean anything?"

"I'm the flower, and my sister is the bird. Our Ma was a painter, so she painted our rooms and gave us each a mural. Mine was flowers, mostly blue orchids. My sister's was birds, but the purple ones were her favorite. The anchor—"

"Is your mother." It made sense now, including the marks that covered her arm.

"Yeah, she was. Ma passed when I was sixteen, Andy was nineteen. We'd already been going to a boarding school for years, since I was ten, so they took us in. After I turned eighteen, me and Andy went our separate ways," Jo explained quietly.

"When you say boarding school, do you mean?"

"Yeah, Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. That place is more than a school; it's like family."

"And did you say your sister's name is Andy?" Jo reached up to flick the end of his nose, and Tony settled back against her.

"She's the nice one," Jo said and reached up with her right hand to absently twirl clean hair between her fingers.

"Is she like you?"

"She is, actually. She's built like a tank, just like me. We get it from our father, but Andy's telekinetic. Just like Ma."

"Your dad, huh? Where's he at?" He felt the subtle shift of Jo's muscles where they were touching and hoped that he didn't hit a nerve. Then he decided that he didn't care because Jo had literally moved things around inside his mind.

"Died while Ma was pregnant with me."

"If he was built like a tank, how'd he die?" It was an insensitive question to ask, Tony realized that, but it was relevant to his life. If Jo had a weakness, he wanted to know since his safety was in her hands. Jo actually squirmed this time, and Tony laced the fingers of her left hand with his.

"He got into this fight with another mutant, someone just as strong as him, and things went south. I can regenerate body parts, but it takes its toll. It takes energy to repair myself, and I can run out of energy. It takes a lot to run out though. Fuck, I've been blown up and came back just as strong as ever. With my father, the assault was constant until his body just…gave up."

"So, I don't have to worry about you keeling over if I get mad and push you off the roof?" Jo pulled on his hair and laughed at the billionaire's indignant squawk.

"Nah, there's nothin' to worry about, boss."

"Oh, and I was wondering—"

"Fuck, Tony, don't you know how to enjoy the moment?" Jo felt a spark of pain in his mind that was neatly labelled Pepper and added, "We're supposed to be stargazing and just relaxing."

"One last question."

"Alright, make it count."

"Where are you from?" Jo's laugh was long and loud, and Tony swayed with her body as she shook. It was a nice sound, even if it was a little rough. Damn! He should've asked what made her voice sound so rough, but that could be a story for another time.

"Louisiana."

With that done and answered, they stargazed.

* * *

**Finis: **I think that's a nice little ending, isn't it? Before this story goes any further, I feel like I should point out that Tony and Jo will not be romantically involved. They are friends and will stay as friends, but their friendship will be EPIC. As well as touching, beautiful, and comical. Because of reasons.


	4. Only Fools Rush In

**TIB: **Hmm, not much to say here, except **Thank You** to everyone who's read so far. Oh, and I'm still wondering if anyone has any thoughts on what kind of tattoo Tony Stark would have.

* * *

"_And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,  
__They danced by the light of the moon,  
__The moon,  
__The moon,  
__They danced by the light of the moon."  
__**Edward Lear, The Owl and the Pussycat  
**__**Read by Camille Holbrook**_

**.xXx.**

**Chapter Four  
****Only Fools Rush In**

* * *

**May 16, 2014**

"Oh, good! You're all here!"

"You called us here," Natasha pointed out.

"Yeah!" Clint added unhelpfully. Natasha was sitting in a chair, and Clint and Jo were spread out on the couch. Jo was absently massaging Clint's bare feet, and Tony sauntered across the room to sit on the arm of Natasha's chair. She glanced up at the man but decided not to comment.

"Why did you call them here?" Jo asked.

"Well, funny you should ask. I bought a house."

"Another one?" Jo blurted out. The guy already had several (even more than her six, which were all co-owned with her sister).

"Are you here to impress us with your wealth?" Clint asked with a big grin. Jo dug her finger into the soft spot of the archer's arch and smiled innocently when he glared at her.

"It's really big, like really big, and I thought you might want some input on your rooms. I gave Jo a room with a big balcony, and all of the rooms are on the upper level so there's easy roof access," Tony explained quickly. Jo's jaw dropped as she realized what was going on, and she let her hands fall lax against Clint's feet.

"Are you asking us to move in?" Clint whispered.

"No, he already assumed that we're moving in and is showing kindness by letting us design our own rooms," Natasha said and looked up at Tony.

"What she said."

"Oh, hell yeah! When can we get started?" Clint asked and rubbed his hands together.

"Wait. Where is this really big house?" Natasha asked.

"Manhattan." Of course it was. Tony still has random nightmares about what happened in New York, so he just has to go back. Masochist much?

"I'm still in," Clint said after a beat of silence. Tony smiled, Natasha crossed her arms, Jo sighed, and Clint started rattling off his future plans.

**.xXx.**

Tony was once again alone in his lab, since Clint had wandered off ten minutes ago, and he was enjoying the silence. JARVIS had informed him that the three of them were watching _The Hunger Games_, so he knew he wouldn't be disturbed for a while. At least, he wasn't supposed to be disturbed for a while. Unfortunately, nothing went Tony's way anymore.

"Sir, you have a call coming through," JARVIS said. Before Tony could respond, another voice was filling his lab.

"Mr. Stark?"

"How did you get through?" was his first question.

"I hacked your AI. Sorry, JARVIS," the woman said. Her voice was soft, and he couldn't place it.

"Apology accepted, miss."

"Apology not accepted. Who are you?"

"My name's Andy." He only knew one person with that name.

"My bodyguard's big sister?"

"You really are smart."

"Yeah, here's what I'm wondering, how did you hack JARVIS?"

"I'm ranked thirteenth. You're fifth, right?" Tony felt his spine straightening and his lips thinning at the woman's soft words. Yeah, he was the fifth smartest person in the world. Currently, at least. The only people above him were Reed Richards, Victor von Doom, Hank Pym, and Bruce Banner. Out of all of them, he only got along with the one. If Jo's sister, Andy, was ranked thirteenth…she wasn't quite at his level, but she was still classified as a genius.

"What do you want? If you're looking for Jo, I can get her for you." Or, well, JARVIS could.

"Jo's been really quiet the last few times we've talked, and that's not like her. She's my little sister, Mr. Stark, the only family I have left. I was worried, so I've been going through the visual feed and—"

"You had no right to pry into my private life!" he snapped off.

"I had every right, Mr. Stark. I can understand why Jo was keeping quiet now, and I can tell that you two have gotten really close. I just wanted to call and say one thing. Just one little thing and then I'll hang up with promises to never hack JARVIS again, unless I feel like there's an emergency." She could try and hack all she wanted; it was time for him to beef up security.

"And what's that?" He waited for the big sister speech, the one where she said if he broke Jo's heart she'd come over and break his legs. Or some variation. He'd heard several versions over the years.

"If you ever lay another hand on my sister, drunk or not, I will rip you apart cell by cell." The line went dead, and Tony had a flash of Jo laid across the table he was leaning against. Her eyes were watering, blood covered the bottom half of her face, she was covered in bruises, and she was struggling to breathe because his hand was cutting off her airways. Not the usual speech then. Andy, the nice sister, hacked into JARVIS because Tony had hurt her little sister. No, he did more than hurt her. Tony beat the hell out of her, and it didn't matter that she had healed up by the next morning.

"Drunk or not, I'll never lay another hand on her."

**.xXx.**

"Bye, guys! We'll call ya when Tony gets everything set up! But you can still visit before then! Drive safe!" Jo called as she hung halfway out the front door. Natasha didn't even turn around, and Clint was walking backwards so he could blow kisses at them. Tony pulled Jo back into the house and let the door close, and Jo was laughing as he drug her into the living room. The room smelled like the cheddar popcorn Clint and Jo had been munching on, and Tony paused for just a moment to wonder how Natasha put up with the two of them. He pulled Jo down onto the couch, but he maneuvered them around so that Jo was propped against the arm and he was laying in the cradle of her body. It was fast becoming his favorite relaxation position.

"I've never had a girlfriend before," he said after Jo had quit laughing.

"I find that really hard to believe, boss," Jo said with another quiet chuckle. He rolled his eyes, even though he knew she couldn't see, and gripped her left wrist. He liked tracing the dark marks on her arm; it was soothing.

"A friend that's a girl. Like, I know that you're hot and totally fuckable, but I don't want to sleep with you. Unless we can cuddle." He tilted his head so that he could flutter his eyelashes at her, and Jo reached up to flick the end of his nose.

"I don't know if I should be grateful or offended," she mumbled. The truth was that she was once again humbled, by a self-proclaimed narcissist. Hearing Tony's thoughts was pretty easy at this point, even though they still confused her most of the time. Right now, she understood what he was trying to say. "You recognize the fact that I'm a female, but you don't see me that way. You just see me as…me. As Jo. As a friend."

"Yeah, as a friend." Jo brushed her cheek against the top of his hair and made a quiet humming in the back of her throat. "As your friend, why wasn't I informed that your nice sister was ranked thirteen and has the ability to hack my systems?"

"Ah, the list. You guys still get all butt hurt over that? McCoy's still pissed that he's only eighth," Jo said with a quiet laugh. Tony thought it over and placed McCoy. Hank McCoy, a mutant, codename: The Beast. Tony had just the made connection when Jo started talking again, "Wait, how do you know Jo is thirteenth and able to hack your systems?"

"She called me." The scene replayed in his mind, and he felt Jo's arms tightening around him. "You can hear what I'm thinking about right now, can't you? Hear my replay of the conversation?"

"Yeah, Tony, I can hear it," Jo whispered. Her arms loosened a little, and Tony stroked his fingertips down her forearm.

"You didn't tell her about what was going on, about what happened. She's your only living relative, and you didn't tell her. Why?" Jo ducked down so that her smooth cheek rubbed against his stubbly one, and Tony closed his eyes.

"Because it wasn't any of her business, and I'll be remindin' her of that very soon." Tony felt warmth just under the arc reactor at the protective sound of Jo's voice, and his body relaxed fully.

"So, where are you ranked?" He could call up the list and search for Jo's name, but he wanted to hear it from her. There was still a lot that he didn't know about his bodyguard's life. Although, he was tempted to hack Xavier's private files to see what she got up to in school.

"Me? I'm not ranked." Tony felt his brows pulling together, and he tapped two fingers against the pulse point in her wrist.

"You're a telepath, and your sister is a genius. You have—"

"I'm not a genius, Tony. I have average intelligence, and that's it."

"I find that a little hard to believe," he said, echoing her words from earlier. He could feel her squirming beneath him, and his head dropped to her shoulder so he could look at her. Her hazel eyes were even darker than usual, and she was lightly biting the inside of her cheek. "You're hiding something from me. Come on, let's hear it."

"Tony, I don't think—"

"You know all of my fears, right? Every single thing that makes me tick? You held me while I was naked and freaking out in a bathtub. I'm starting to feel a little unbalanced here on the secret trade."

"Secrets for secrets, huh?" It made sense in Jo's mind, and she knew that it was a sign of trust. Hell, she knew all of Tony's darkest fears and insecurities. Even the ones that he buried deep in his subconscious, like the abandonment issues that were still going strong. So she understood what Tony was talking about, and it was fair. Besides, they'd went down the express lane of friendship.

"Only if you want to." The selfish billionaire actually meant that too. If she was uncomfortable, he wouldn't push.

"I finished at the boarding school when I was eighteen; Andy stuck around until I graduated. Once I did, she took off. My friends kinda scattered after graduation to do their own things, and I was ready to travel. Academics was never really my thing; that was Andy's area of expertise. She actually left to go intern with Pym when I left for my big trip."

"I still don't see how a telepath can hate academics," Tony remarked when she paused.

"I wasn't a telepath then. Now, be quiet and listen." Tony was stunned at the admission and had at least fourteen immediate questions, but he kept quiet. "I was in South Dakota of all places when they found me. They had people in hospitals as lookouts for anything abnormal, and I accidentally walked into the road and got hit by a car. I was knocked unconscious and came to in a hospital, but most of my injuries were already healed. Broken bones gone overnight? It raised some red flags, and I didn't get out of the hospital in time. Like I said, that's when they found me."

"Who's they?"

"ROSE. It stands for the four doctors that ran the organization; Rickard, Orlin, Serrens, and Edmonds. They did mutant research, and I was one unlucky mutant. I'm not going into details, because it doesn't matter. Serrens was all about finding ways to increase powers, and that's how I wound up as a telepath. He'd been waiting for someone like me, with regenerative powers that could withstand the procedure. So, there was experimentation, or torture, depending on how you look at it."

"How long were you there?" Tony was oddly still and just gripping her wrist with white-knuckled fingers.

"A little over a year. Andy looked but couldn't find me, but she kicked up a lot of dust in the process. That's how SHIELD found her. When Andy explained our abilities, Fury correctly guessed who had me. Natasha and Clint were already tracking them, and Andy was told to be patient. I think they sprung me about three months after that. I, uh, was a little crazy when the rescue went down. I wasn't the only mutant there, and shit really hit the fan when the fighting started. It was hard to tell friends from enemies, so there were a few accidents."

"A few?" Jo was smiling weakly and taking slow measured breaths.

"I might have stabbed Natasha with a chair leg, and she might have shot me in the head. So, I stabbed her with a few pens and then Clint shot me."

"Clint shot you?"

"With an exploding arrow right to the throat. I told you I've been blown up before," Jo shrugged.

"That's why your voice is rough!" Tony exclaimed and twisted around to look at her. Jo blinked, once, twice, three times, and then started laughing. Her arms twined around Tony's shoulders as she laughed, and his face was pushed into said throat.

"Yeah, Tony, that's why my voice is rough. No one is really sure why my throat didn't heal right, and it bothers Clint sometimes. Then he thinks about the scars I left on Nat and doesn't feel so bad anymore," Jo grinned.

"So, are those two really, you know?" Tony flopped over so he could lay back against his favorite body pillow, and Jo grunted at the impact. She was grateful for what Tony was doing. He wasn't dwelling on what she'd said and asking for specifics (but he was definitely going to think it all over later, when Jo was not around). Instead, he was gossiping with her like they were teenagers at a sleepover.

"What? Together? No, not like that. They're definitely life partners, that's for sure, but not like that." Tony crossed his arms, and Jo massaged her hands against the lightly shaking muscles of his biceps. The shakes were mostly gone, but they still cropped up every once in a while.

"Are you sure? They're really not involved?"

"Really, not that their private lives are any of our business," Jo said with an authoritative voice.

"So you don't read their thoughts?"

"Are you kiddin'? Like Nat needs any more reasons to shoot me?" Tony and Jo shared a grin before they both went boneless. There were things in the lab that Tony needed to work on and Jo was itching to have a nice long talk with her big sister, but they were both content to just relax for the moment.

**May 19, 2014**

"Jo! Come in! How are you?" Jo shuffled a bit on her feet just inside the door, and she had to resist the urge to twist the bottom of her tank top in her fingers. She already had enough frayed hems in her closet. Instead, she hefted the bag on her shoulder a little higher and met the cool blue eyes with her own.

"I'm good, but I'm not staying long. I was just doing some last minute shopping and thought I'd stop in," Jo said quietly. The bundles of fabric felt like they weighed a ton, but Jo knew that was just the guilt. She shouldn't be here, but here she was.

"Is everything okay?" Jo could read the look in Pepper's eyes without peeking into her mind, and she knew that the other woman was worried about Tony. Jo could've used that worry a few months ago, but that was neither here nor there.

"Yeah. Tony said he told you that we're moving out to Manhattan?" Pepper nodded stiffly, which actually relieved Jo. When Tony told her that he'd called Pepper, she didn't really believe him. Still, he was safely locked away in the house today while she was out shopping (JARVIS had her on speed dial and Jo's a pretty fast runner), but she felt like she needed to do this one last thing before they left.

"Was there anything else you needed?" It was a dismissal, not as direct as Tony's usually were, but a dismissal all the same.

"I know it's none of my business, but I just wanted to know why you left. You don't have to tell me." Pepper's blue eyes were shuttered against the world, and Jo felt a little bad about asking. Jo didn't hold Pepper accountable for Tony's breakdown, his amazing talent for repression and denial got all the credit for that, but it was something that had bothered Jo for months.

"I know it might not seem like it, but I did it for him." Jo couldn't help it, she took a tiny peek. Just enough to _understand_. Then, just like that, she understood Pepper's reasoning. Pepper knew that Tony loved her enough to do anything and everything to make her happy, and Pepper could never be happy with Iron Man. Pepper knew Tony would give it all up for her, but Pepper couldn't ask him to do that. Tony _was_ Iron Man. It was more than a suit; that suit was the real him.

"I understand, Miss Pepper, and I think Tony does too." Since becoming sober, Tony had actually thought about everything that happened in his life instead of letting it sweep him away. His thoughts on the breakup were very similar to Pepper's, and Jo felt a little bit of peace.

"Will you take care of him?" Jo nodded at Pepper's words and turned to walk away.

"Of course. That's my job."

**.xXx.**

"Are you still mad at me?" Jo sighed as she dropped her bag onto the bed and bent down to pull off her sandals.

"I'm not mad, Andy. Just don't do anything like that again. JARVIS deserves more than a hacking, especially if it's just to threaten his creator."

"Thank you, Miss Jo."

"Anytime, buddy."

"I promise not to hack JARVIS, but I was worried about you. If I had known what I'd see, I wouldn't have looked. Still, I won't apologize for looking. He _hurt_ you, Jo."

"Yeah, I know, I was there. Trust me on this, Andy, he was hurting more than I was. If you knew how guilty he already was, you never would've called and threatened him. This is all been hard enough on him as it is." Jo's pants were snatched off at this point, and she sighed in quiet joy at the freedom. She seriously hated pants, and her blue and white striped panties covered all the important bits. Hey, they even matched her sailor blue tank top!

"You two have gotten very close. Is there anything you want to talk about?" Jo's face scrunched up in horror before amusement took hold and she started laughing.

"Me and Tony? Ew, gross, no. We're friends, and that's it. You don't have to worry about me being the next notch on Stark's bedpost." Andy's quiet laugh drifted through the phone, and Jo felt herself calming at the sound of her big sister's soft laughter. Everything was alright in her world again.

"If you say so, kid. Let me know when you get to New York, okay?"

"Will do." The two sisters said a quick goodbye, and Jo tossed her phone onto her bed. Her body was a little tense, and she took a moment to just stretch out her taut muscles. Leaving the house had been a little nerve-wracking, since she had been constantly worried about Tony the entire time, and her little side-trip to Pepper's office hadn't helped her frayed nerves any. Not that it mattered. She was back now and everything was all good.

"JARVIS? Is Tony down in the lab?"

"Yes, Miss Jo. He hasn't left since the last time you asked." Jo grinned at the ceiling, because JARVIS was a secret sass master. Well, maybe not that secret. Jo twirled into the kitchen, literally, and then danced her way over to the refrigerator. She made a giant turkey sandwich for Tony, snagged two bottles of water, and carefully wiggled her way down into Tony's not-so-secret laboratory. He was surrounded by several holograms of the interior of their soon-to-be some, and Jo walked right through a staircase to snag a chair and drag it over to Tony's side.

"Still workin' hard, I see. I'm not gonna have to throw you into a shower later, am I?" Jo placed the plate in Tony's lap, since she'd learned early on that he really didn't like being handed things, and she put the water bottles on the floor between them.

"You know you love my manly smell."

"Mmm, grease and pit sweat, that's what gets me pantin' at night," Jo drawled out. Tony smiled at her with his mouth stuffed full of turkey, and a piece of tomato poked out between his lips.

"Uh, should I go?" The sound echoed in the room, and Jo clapped her hands excitedly.

"Hey, Doc! Haven't heard from you in a while! How are things?" Tony just rolled his eyes and grabbed one of the bottles to wash down the bread stuck to the roof of his mouth.

"Things are fine. Tony has been filling me in on the, uh, new living situation?"

"Ah, yes, the new mansion. Are you gonna come live with us, Doc?" Jo leaned back to prop her elbows on the table behind her, and Tony started nodding his head.

"He'll come around eventually. I'm making a room for him anyway," Tony shrugged.

"Of course you are."

"Right, well, I need to go. It was nice talking to you again, Jo. Tony, we'll talk more later?"

"Yeah, you bet." Jo let them say their goodbyes while she inspected the house. Tony has been busy. The place looks amazing.

"I like the Doc. Will I ever get to meet him?" Jo asked after Tony had swallowed another bite.

"Yeah, he can't hide away forever. The idiot's still trying to atone. For a genius, he's really stupid when it comes to himself."

"Atone for what?" Dark hazel met dark brown, and Tony blinked slowly as he chewed. Jo was starting to get a little confused, and Tony's mind was spinning too fast for her to pick up on anything coherent without really honing in.

"You do know that you've been talking to Dr. Bruce Banner, right?" Jo let that thought process and then shrugged.

"I guess that makes sense. You two did fight together, and I guess Dr. Bruce should've been the tip off."

"You don't seem too worried about talking to the Hulk." Tony took another huge bite of his sandwich, and Jo poked one protruding cheek.

"I'm not the judgy type, and I've actually seen the Hulk in action." Tony raised a brow to ask for more details, and Jo was in a good enough mood to oblige. "I was in Harlem during his fight with Abomination. I kept to the rooftops for most of the fight. Fuck, Tony, you should've seen it. It was somethin' else, watching those two go at it. Breathtaking."

"I've seen some footage, but I've also seen him in action. Nothing compares to the real thing, huh?"

"Too true, my friend. Now, about this fireplace…"

**May 27, 2014**

"_Wise men say, only fools rush in. But I, can't help, falling in love, with you. Shall I stay? Would it be, a sin? If I can't help, falling in love, with you."_ Tony froze in the doorway leading to the den and tried to process what was happening. All of the furniture had been pushed back against the far walls, and two slow-moving figures dominated the center of the room. Clint was only a few inches taller than Jo, and her curvy body complemented the archer's lean form. The two danced lightly across the carpet, like they were moving across air.

"_Like a river flows, surely to the sea. Darling, so it goes, some things, are meant to be." _Tony felt a presence at his side, and he glanced down at the top of Natasha's head. She was watching the dancers with an almost gentle smile on her face, which was something she never directed towards Jo. As the next verse began, Clint fluidly dipped Jo into a graceful arch. Jo looked completely at ease in Clint's strong arms, and Tony was looking at the way Jo's loose hair just barely skimmed the carpet when he realized that Clint was looking right into Jo's eyes and singing quietly.

"_Take my hand, take my whole life too. For I, can't help, falling in love with you."_

"_Like a river flows, surely to the sea,"_ Jo sang quietly as Clint pulled her back upright.

"_Darling, so it goes, some things, are meant to be,"_ Clint picked up as he spun Jo away from him. Jo did a full circle on her own and then outstretched one hand as she mimed a deep curtsy.

"_Take my hand."_ And Clint did so he could pull her back to him. As Clint started the next line, he dropped his hands to Jo's shapely hips and lifted her into the air with ease. _"Take my whole life too."_

"_For I can't help," _Jo sang as her arms went around her partner's neck and she slid down his body. _"Falling in love with you."_

"_For I can't help…falling in love…with…you." _They finished the song in the center of the room, with Jo's arms around Clint's neck and his hands placed respectfully on her waist, like they were at a sixth grade dance.

"_Peace up, A town down!"_ A heavy beat pumped through the air, and the intimate atmosphere was destroyed under a symphony of "yeahs!"

"That was…" Tony wasn't sure how to finish that sentence. Beautiful? Yeah, he knew Jo danced all the time, but there was something real sweet and innocent about how she'd danced with Clint. As for the archer, Tony had never seen him look so peaceful. Unexpected? That was a given. He thought spontaneous dancing like that only happened in overproduced romance movies.

"That was Clint and Jo," Natasha said. The two of them were dancing around like they were high on acid now, and it was such a change from the gentility of their earlier dancing that Tony could actually feel a headache starting at his temples.

"They've never?" Natasha looked up to meet his eyes, and a secretive smile curled her lips.

"No, they haven't. They're just…hmm." Natasha turned back to watch the two of them, but Tony was watching Natasha now.

"And you and him have never?"

"Don't be ridiculous." At his disbelieving look, Natasha licked her lips and tried to answer in a way that made sense. "What Clint and I have is stronger than friendship and more than what exists between lovers. We just…are."

"So, what are him and Jo?" Jo was wrapped around Clint like a belt at the moment, and Clint was balancing on his hands. Make that one hand.

"I know you've read Clint's private file, so you tell me." Natasha had a brow quirked in his direction, as if she was challenging his genius. Well, alright. Tony's mind flicked back to the file he read months ago and tried to call up the facts. Since joining SHIELD, Clint had only been close to Natasha and Phil. Phil because that was the only handler that could put up with insubordinate ass, and Natasha because she was Natasha. So, something before SHIELD then? Clint was raised in a circus, an orphan, but…Tony's mind clicked, and he looked down at the assassin.

"Back in the circus, Clint adopted another of the little carnies as a little sister. The file never said what happened to her."

"Died of pneumonia. Clint only knew her for two years, but Jo reminds him of Lily."

"You could've just said they have a sibling bond," Tony huffed. Spies and their damned secretive ways.

"Now, where's the fun in that?" Natasha asked with a smirk.

"Iiiiii'm! Gonnnna! Huuuurl!" Jo squealed as Clint spun her around. His hands had a strong grip on her ankles, and Jo's body was perfectly horizontal as they moved.

"Suck it up, Josie!" Clint called as he released her. Tony watched as Jo flew the air and managed to crash into one of the couches. The force of the landing immediately had her shooting forward, and she rolled to her feet with ease.

"You are so gonna pay for that, Tweety!"

"How is this my life?" Natasha made a sound that was similar to a snort and crossed her arms.

"Just imagine what they'll be like once they're living together."

**June 3, 2014**

"What have I said about pants in the lab?" Jo crossed her arms and scowled at the back of Tony's head, because he didn't even turn around to look at her.

"Nice try, jackass, but I'm actually wearin' pants today." Tony spun around at that and let his eyes rake over her. Sure enough, Jo was wearing a pair of gray skinny jeans that had seen better days and a rare black tee shirt that said "Bite Me" on it. Her hair, which was now to her hips, was down too.

"Why are you dressed?"

"Are you askin' me to get naked?" Tony scratched the side of his head and looked at her again. Jo rolled her eyes, because she knew his thoughts about her and none of them involved the two of them naked. "Whatever. We don't have time for this. Have you seen the news?"

"Are they talking about me?" He looked positively gleeful, and Jo rolled her eyes. Tony might've come a long way, but narcissism was more than just a lifestyle. It was a deeply ingrained personality trait. Or was that personality disorder?

"JARVIS, can you please turn the news on?"

"Right away, miss." A screen instantly popped up, and Jo jumped up to sit on a clean space of table at Tony's elbow. Tony moved to prop his elbow on her thigh instead, and they both looked up at the images flashing in the air.

"That's definitely Thor, right? I mean, it has to be," Jo said. The images were coming out of London, where all kinds of shit was going down. Jo had been at a coffee shop just a few minutes away when she looked up and saw what was happening. She'd rushed back to the house as quickly as she could, and of course Tony didn't even know what was going on.

"JARVIS, get me Fury." A moment later, there was a quiet click and Fury's voice echoed in the room.

"I don't have time for you right now, Stark!" Jo could hear a flutter of movement coming over the line, and she could just picture all of the spastic agents rushing around. Yeah, Fury definitely wasn't having a good day.

"What's going on in London?" Tony asked quickly.

"It's being handled. Eris, do not let him leave." Jo's back straightened at the sound of her actual codename, and she nodded her head even though Fury couldn't actually see her.

"Yes, sir." The line went dead with a quiet click, and Jo looked down at Tony.

"Are you actually going to follow his orders?" Callused fingers gently ran through his hair and a strong calf was pressed flush against his ribcage.

"Yes, but not because he gave me an order. I'm not a SHIELD agent, remember? I'm going to do what he said because you're not ready to rejoin the fight. I mean…fuck, Tony, you haven't even rebuilt a suit." As Tony closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against her thigh, Jo caught flashes of what he was seeing. Working all hours and not sleeping to build more suits, to make them better, to make _him_ better, and then watching them all disappear in a fireworks display. "Yeah, I know, I know."

"We shouldn't have to fight alone," Tony mumbled into a denim encased thigh. Jo just kept petting his hair and tried to ignore the way his hands were shaking. And he'd been doing so well lately. The shakes only started up whenever he was stressed, or to be more specific, whenever he really wanted a drink.

"You'll never fight alone again, boss," Jo whispered. Besides, sticking by his side was her job.

**July 4, 2014**

"Sweet Satan's Asscrack! I love it!" Jo exclaimed as she looked up at the massive iron gate. Tony thought about asking where that particular phrase came from and decided not to worry about it. Clint just whistled, and Natasha nodded at him in approval. Tony gave himself a mental pat on the back because if they were this impressed by the front gate, they were going to be blown away by the inside.

"Where'd you find this place?" Clint asked. They all pushed through the gate and headed up the front walk, and the four of them paused before going up the steps.

"We are at 890 Fifth Avenue. This place was built in the 30s by my father, and I inherited it when he died. I didn't want it then so I gave it to the company, and they've been using it for business parties and who cares what else. A few months ago, I bought it back. It's mine and mine alone," Tony said with a large smile. For once, he wasn't being greedy. This place wasn't just his, it was theirs. The house itself was thirty-five feet back away from street, so there was room for a front lawn and a nice big wall for some privacy. When Tony repurchased the house, he reinforced the twelve feet concrete walls with steel. There was also surveillance systems on every window and door that could identify who was coming and going, because Tony still had a few anxiety and privacy issues.

"Can we go inside now?" Jo asked excitedly. Tony grinned and led them up the stairs to the front door. The front door was completely smooth, and there was a small silver circle where the doorknob should've been. Tony placed his thumb against the circle and watched it glow blue for a second.

"Welcome home, sir," JARVIS's voice greeted as the door swung open.

"That's different." Clint mumbled.

"If the person isn't approved to come in, JARVIS will put the house on lockdown," Tony explained.

"Isn't that just a bit paranoid, boss?" Tony glanced over at Jo and then just shrugged.

"We can't just let anyone wander in. Come on, we've got a lot of ground to cover," Tony said as he led them in. The foyer was huge, and three pairs of eyes moved around the space. Tony was watching their reactions and waiting for any questions.

"Layout?" Natasha would be the first one to recover. Tony spread his arms to bring attention to the nice big chairs behind him, and his three roommates plopped into their seats (Natasha sat down like a normal person) and waited.

"To the right, there is a spare bedroom, some bathrooms, the kitchen, and the pantry. There's also a side entrance leading straight into the kitchen. The galley and that door," he pointed to the door directly across the foyer from the front door, "lead to the dining room. If you go all the way through that, there's the conference room, just in case we ever need it. On the other side of the dining room on the left, there is a private library. There's a large garage at the back of the house and some gardening."

"How long have you been working on this place?" Clint asked. Tony raised his finger and continued.

"The basement is where the fun is at. The gym is currently fully functional, along with the pool and sauna. I'm still updating the medical facilities, so we can be treated here instead of in a civilian hospital. They should have finished installing the theater by now as well, and I have designs drawn up for a combat simulation room. I got the idea from Professor X, and JARVIS and I have working on it. Ladies, I also have a sunning deck so you can relax in privacy. Clint, I made us an arcade to play in."

"Sweet!"

"I haven't sunbathed in a while," Natasha mused quietly.

"Under that is my playground, so you don't have to worry about that too much. I'm working on moving all files into a secure fault, and that's where the computer system is going to be protected. The Assembly Room is going to be impenetrable when I finish with it."

"How many sub-basements are there?" Clint suddenly asked.

"Just two. Under the Assembly Room, I'm building a Hulk room. All of the elevators will be able to drop straight down into it, and I'm putting an elevator in Bruce's room that goes straight to it. I'm still working on the reinforcements, but it'll just be in case of emergencies. It was Bruce's only condition for moving in."

"When do we get to our rooms?" Jo huffed.

"The third floor is the landing pad, for whoever needs it. I've got a section roped off to make Dr. Foster a lab, since she'll she tagging along with Thor."

"They're coming here?" Clint asked.

"Should be here in another week," Tony announced. Jo was starting to twitch in her seat, but Tony wasn't even looking at her. For just this one time, Natasha took pity on the mutant.

"Quit teasing Jo, Tony. Second floor, bedrooms, start talking."

"Why don't I just show you? This way, kids!" Tony started sprinting up the spiraling Grand Staircase, and the three of them followed up after him. The top of the staircase showed two long hallways, and Tony stood waiting at the corner for them. He pointed to the right and startled rattling off.

"This is the den, and all of that down there is my lab, my bedroom, and my office." He started walking down the center hallway, away from the right one, and pointed to the door on his left. The wood of the door was such a dark brown that it looked black, and there was a small American shield in the center of it. Captain America's room then. A little further down was a bedroom on their right, and there was another bedroom next to it. Both doors, same color as Cap's, were blank. Tony explained that they were guest rooms and carried on. The next door on the left had a small silver hammer in center of the nearly black wood paneling, so that one was Thor's. They made a right turn and immediately saw the next bedroom on the left.

"I like it already," Clint said with his hand on the knob. There was a silver arrowhead in center of his door, and they all leaned forward as he pushed the door open. He only opened the door enough to stick his head in, and he gently closed the door back a minute later. They all waited for the reaction, and Tony groaned as Clint nearly tackled him to hug him. "It's perfect!"

"Can we keep moving?" Jo asked. The next door, also on the left, had a dark red spider in the center of it. Natasha didn't even bother to look inside.

"I know you didn't mess it up," was all Natasha said. Jo was bouncing on the balls of her feet as they reached the end of the hallway, where the last two bedrooms were. The bedroom on the left, slightly angled away from Natasha's, had a blue orchid in the center of the door. Jo's fingers lightly traced over one of the dark tattoos on her arm, and she looked at the door to the right of hers. There was a green fist in the center of it, so Doc was her neighbor.

"So, are we happy?" Tony asked.

"Yes, all hail the Stark!" Jo said with a grin. Tony was too pleased with himself to get annoyed at her patronizing tone. He just rubbed his hands together and looked around at his good work.

"Welcome to the Avengers Mansion!"

**Finis: **I think this was my favorite chapter to write, so far, just because of the dance scene between Jo and Clint. I know the ending might have been a little tedious and boring, but I wanted to set up a layout for the Avengers Mansion since I'm not using Stark Tower. The mansion seems homier. The songs used are Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling In Love" and Usher's "Yeah!"

In the next chapter, Thor makes his appearance!


	5. The God Of Pancakes

**TIB: **I absolutely love this chapter, just saying. It picks up right where the last one left off.

Thank you to everyone who has read, followed, and added this story to their favorites! And a special thank you to **Plague's Vengeance** for your reviews! There's no Bruce in this chapter, unfortunately, but he's coming very soon.

* * *

"_Never seen nothin' sweeter than those two drunken fools, dancin' like they were the only ones here."  
__**Bartender at the Lucky Seven on Jo and Clint**_

**.xXx.**

**Chapter Five  
****The God of Pancakes**

* * *

**July 4, 2014**

"So…pretty," Jo whispered. She was sitting in a giant cushioned lawn chair on the roof of the newly dubbed Avengers Mansion, and Tony was taking up the space between her legs. Her fingers absently twirled his hair, because her main focus was reserved for the beautiful display of lights that seemed to stretch across the entire sky.

"Do you ever pass up an opportunity to show off your wealth?" Natasha asked. She was in a lawn chair of her own, and her bare feet were propped up in Clint's lap.

"Have you met me?" Natasha nodded as if to say "fair enough" and turned back to watch the show. Tony pressed a button on his phone and another firework lit up the sky. Jo grinned up at the red, white, and blue colors while Clint shouted, "For 'Merica!"

"It's too bad Steve isn't here," Jo said once she got her voice back.

"I'm sure he can see it, no matter where he is," Clint huffed. The display was abnormally large, so it wasn't a huge stretch.

"Happy Independence Day!" Jo yelled and threw her arms around Tony's neck. Tony reached up to pat her arm before releasing another firework into the sky.

"I like that one," Natasha said quietly to herself. The giant red spider slowly faded and another one took its place. All in all, it wasn't a bad way to spend the first night in their new home.

**July 10, 2014**

"Sir, Master Thor has arrived." JARVIS's voice jolted Jo out of her light nap, and she rolled her head to look over at Tony. He'd been working on his new suit, but he was looking over at her with a big grin that warned of unspeakable evil. Jo was just glad that there was a couch in the office now, so she could sleep or knit while making sure that Tony stayed in one piece.

"Get off your ass! Let's go!" Jo groaned as she rolled to her feet, and she stumbled once before getting her footing and following Tony down. They were halfway down the stairs when Tony suddenly came to a halt, and Jo nearly toppled them both down the rest of the way when she crashed into Tony's back. She leaned over onto the railing to look around Tony, and she was a little surprised at what she saw. A behemoth-sized man was standing in the center of the foyer, and he looked like an average guy. Tennis shoes, dark washed jeans, a faded gray tee shirt, blonde hair pulled back into a tight little ball, and big sorrowful blue eyes.

"Thor! Took you long enough!" Tony called down. The woman at his side, who definitely looked nothing like the pictures Jo had seen of Jane Foster, shifted on her feet a bit. The woman had a duffel on her back and a wheeled suitcase, and Thor was absolutely loaded down with bags.

"I am sorry for the delay, Tony. I have brought along my friend, Darcy Lewis. I had hopes that you would be able to house her as well," Thor said solemnly. The girl reached up to pat one shoulder, as if to comfort him.

"Yeah, sure, more the merrier. Political science, right?" The girl's brown eyes widened, and she lightly bit down on her full bottom lip before responding.

"How did you…?"

"Tony's a professional stalker. It used to be a hobby, but I'm afraid he's spiraling out of control now," Jo said with a grin. The two looked so down that it was starting to pull her down, and she caught Tony's meaningful look. She tried to scream "no!" with her eyes, but her boss wasn't having it. With a put-upon sigh, Jo did her thing while the conversation continued.

"I am sorry, Tony. I do not know your new companion," Thor said. Even though he was speaking solemnly, his strong voice seemed to boom in the cavernous space.

"Not that kind of companion, big guy. Jo here is my bodyguard, assigned by Director Fury. Hey, maybe you two can spar later. She's always complaining that I don't hit hard enough," Tony nudged. Comforting was not something that Tony did, but it was obvious that Thor was upset about something. Tony suspected that it had to do with the lack of a certain astrophysicist.

"A spar would be most acceptable, Lady Jo, if you are not otherwise engaged."

"Just call me Jo, big guy, and a spar sounds wonderful. I haven't been able to let loose in a while, and I don't wanna get rusty. Why don't y'all come on up and get settled in? Then we'll head down to the gym."

"This way!" Tony yelled and started back up the stairs. Thor and Darcy followed them up silently, and Tony gestured to the two unclaimed rooms. Darcy went with the one closest to Thor's room, and Thor followed her inside for a moment to drop off her bags. Tony then showed Thor to his room and let him have his privacy so he could rush to Jo's side.

"You are a horrible person," Jo whispered. They were standing in the hallway, somewhere between Darcy and Thor's rooms.

"I know you picked up something, so spill."

"I picked up a lot of things, from both of them."

"Are you going to tell me or not?" Jo looked up into Tony's _clear_ brown eyes, saw that he was actually the tiniest bit worried, and bit the inside of her right cheek.

"Well, I managed to pick up that he just recently returned from Asgard, after discovering that his brother faked his own death and attempted to take the throne. Don't worry, Loki's back in prison. Oh, and Thor's mother died."

"Oh, that's all?" Tony huffed.

"I wish it was. Jane left him; she's off researching in Alaska or something. I got that from Darcy."

"Geeze, no wonder he looks so…"

"Sad?" Tony nodded just as Thor stepped out of his room, and they both turned towards the god with too-wide smiles. Thor's head tilted to the side as he regarded them, and a small smile touched his lips. The smile didn't touch his blue eyes.

"I am prepared to take your offer of a spar now."

"That's my cue to head back into the lab. Try not to break anything important," Tony called over his shoulder as he sauntered away. Jo watched him go and then looked up at Thor. She held up a finger and then darted across the hall to stick her head into Darcy's room.

"Hey, uh, Darcy? Thor and I are going to head down to the basement to spar. Do you wanna come with us? There's a bunch of other really awesome stuff down there," Jo said with what she hoped was a friendly tone. The girl's dark brown hair was free around her shoulders, and her black-rimmed glasses had slipped down her nose a little.

"No, thanks. I'm just gonna chill out here for a bit."

"Okay. If you change your mind, just ask JARVIS for directions. He won't mind helping. Right, JARVIS?" Jo looked up at the ceiling, like she was always did when speaking to the AI.

"Right as always, Miss Jo. I am at your service, Miss Darcy," JARVIS said with his cool accented voice. Darcy nodded again, and Jo gently shut the door before joining Thor back in the hallway.

"How about a bit of a tour on the way?" she asked as they started for the stairway.

"That would be most helpful and kind of you, Jo." She was really starting to like the God of Thunder.

**.xXx.**

Darcy was restless. It was her primary emotion these days. First Jane disappears to another freakin' universe, then there are things going crazy and walking through portals into other dimensions. Everything that happened in London was messed up. Except for her intern. That had been fun while it lasted. Thor had come back and then rushed back to Asgard, before coming back and saying that he was staying for good. He even called up his superhero buddy, The Tony Stark, and got them a place to live. Thor was gonna settle! And what did Jane do? She left! Darcy almost went with her, Jane was kinda like the big sister she always wanted but would never admit, but Thor obviously needed her more. That and she liked the big guy. He was goofy and out of place, like she was most of the time. So, it was time to stop moping and do something! But this bed was super big and _so_ fluffy…NO!

"Uh, JARVIS, dude?"

"Is there something I can help you with, Miss Darcy?" A talking house was weird, but Darcy could dig it.

"Is Thor still fighting whatshername?" She might've zoned out a little earlier, during the whole introduction bit.

"Yes, Master Thor is still sparring with Miss Jo. You may take the elevator down to the basement, if you would like to join them." Darcy rolled her shoulders after getting up and shuffled down the hallway to the elevator by following JARVIS's directions. She reached the basement in no time, and she stepped off the elevator to look at a place just as confusing and big as the rest of the house.

"The door directly in front of you, miss." Darcy looked at the big steel door directly in front of her, shrugged, and started walking.

"You are seriously awesome, JARVIS. You're like my new favorite person."

"Thank you for the place of honor, Miss Darcy."

"Anytime, dude," Darcy said as she placed her palm on the steel door. It swung open, just like that, and Darcy stepped inside. The first thing she saw was the woman from earlier, Jo, flying through the air. Her back hit the wall, and the wall just seemed to absorb the hit. Bare feet pushed off the wall, and Thor's laugh echoed in the room as Jo hit him in a flying tackle. Thor's loud laugh was something she hadn't heard lately, but of course, it would be fighting that would get it out of him.

Darcy leaned back against the wall to watch as the two _destroyed_ each other. They had both changed clothes from earlier, which was a good call because every day clothes would not be able to survive this. The woman's pants and tank top were replaced with hot pink running shorts and a yellow sports bra, and Darcy realized that the woman was stronger than she originally thought. Thor had changed out of the jeans and tee shirt he normally wore now and was instead only wearing a pair of black basketball shorts. His hair was still up in a ponytail, and Darcy felt just a smidgen of pride at the look. She'd taught him how to put his hair up like that.

"Come on, Josie! Kick his ass!" Darcy jumped so fast she nearly fell over, and the strong hand gripping her bicep was the only thing that kept her upright.

"Dude, you came out of nowhere!" Darcy gasped. The guy smiled at her, and Darcy noted that he was, well, _hot_. His dark blonde hair was short but still managed to spike up some, his pretty blue eyes had green and gold flecks in them, and he was built.

"No scaring the newbies!" Jo yelled. Thor used the distraction to body-check her, and she went sailing through the air again. Thor straightened and raised a hand in greeting.

"Hawkeye! Have you come to fight as well?!" Hawkeye? He was another Avenger, Darcy was sure. Pretty sure.

"Call me Clint! And I never go against Jo! She fights dirty!" As he talked, Jo came up behind Thor and jumped up onto his shoulders. She locked her legs around his neck, twisted her body, and somehow managed to throw the big guy across the room.

"How is she not dead?" Darcy muttered.

"Some mutant thing that always heals her up," Clint said.

"A what that does what?" A shot rang out in the room, and Jo hit the floor instead of executing a clean kick to Thor's chest. Blood sprayed from her head, and Darcy turned wide eyes to the new person in the room. The woman had hair the same color as the blood on the floor, and a pair of cool green eyes glanced over at her.

"Aww, why'd ya do that, Nat?! I almost had him!" Jo yelled as she got to her feet. The bullet wound was completely gone, and Jo was staring over at the new woman.

"I like Thor better than you," the woman said with a one shoulder shrug.

"Lady Natasha, that was not fair," Thor reprimanded. Natasha, huh?

"But it was fun," she smiled.

"Fun for you," Jo grumbled.

"Now, now, ladies. Let's not—"

"Shut up, Clint." Natasha and Jo both stared at each other as if disbelieving they spoke at the same time, and Darcy looked around at everyone in the room. Just who were these people?

**.xXx.**

"Excuse me, sir, but the pizza has arrived." Tony's spine cracked as he slowly sat up, and he rubbed a hand across his eyes.

"Why ya tellin' me this, JARVIS?"

"Miss Jo and Miss Natasha have requested your presence in the dining room." Tony snorted at that and got to his feet.

"I better go make sure one of them isn't dying," he mumbled as his knees cracked.

"Miss Jo has only been shot twice today," JARVIS reported.

"Only twice?" Tony hummed lightly under his breath as he walked down the stairs, and his mind was busy going over everything he still had to do. There just wasn't enough time in the day. He was so wrapped up in his own head that he didn't hear the noise until after he'd opened the dining room doors, and he paused in the doorway as he tried to take in the scene. Why was this always happening to him?

The long table was covered in pizza boxes, two liter bottles (there still wasn't any alcohol around), and cards. Natasha was actually sitting on the table, and they were all yelling as they slapped cards down. Clint was sitting nearly flush with Thor, and he was explaining the game even though the two of them were obviously playing as partners instead of individuals. Tony was pretty sure that it was a poker game, but there wasn't any money spread around. Instead they were playing for…

"Skittles, really?" Five heads swiveled to look at him, and they all had matching manic glints in their eyes.

"They enable us to taste the rainbow!" Thor helpfully informed.

"Of course they do. I'm just going to—"

"Oh no you don't!" Jo yelled. She nearly tripped over Darcy in her haste to get to him, and Tony groaned as loud as he could as she pulled him over to the table. She was about to push him into her chair, but Natasha grabbed his bicep and yanked him up onto the table. For a little thing, she sure was strong.

"You already have a partner," Natasha said while Tony sprawled beside her.

"Yeah, Jo! You can't double up on partners like that!" Clint yelled. Jo, who was now back in her chair, hooked an arm around Darcy's neck and pointed a menacing finger at the archer.

"Darcy's the only partner I need!"

"Oh yeah! Well I got the God of Thunder! Suck on that, Josie!"

"Don't make me come over there, Clinton!" Thor slapped his cards down onto the table, and everyone visibly jumped before looking over. The cards showed a royal flush, and Thor's toothy grin made Darcy smile.

"I believe I have won the rainbow." Tony reached over to pat the big guy's arm and smiled.

"You sure have, buddy."

**.xXx.**

"Fudge, fudge, fudge!" Koletta Michaels muttered as she kept running. Running was not her favorite thing to do, but she preferred it to torture devices and interrogations. The sound of heavy footsteps echoed in the streets behind her, and she ducked behind an old rusted car to dig her phone out. The rusted metal pushed her backpack into her spine, and she could feel the outline of why she was running.

"Kole?" The soft voice on the other end of the line sounded a little breathless, and Kole squeezed her dark gray eyes shut.

"Hey, Andy. Do you think I could come lay low with you for a while?" There was a small sigh, and Kole waited for the lecture.

"I'm on a job with Vic. What did you do?"

"I stopped in to visit HYDRA." Kole could hear a laugh through the phone that wasn't Andy's, and she reached up to scrub a hand through her shaggy pink hair.

"You know that Viper wants nothing more than to see you dead. What were you thinking, Kole?"

"I was bored. You haven't stayed in one place for longer than a few weeks, Vic was off leading private armies, and Jo just wanted some rest. I didn't have anything else to do," Kole sighed. Her small body was curled in tight to keep out of sight, but she couldn't hear anyone moving around. For now.

"Go to Jo. She'll keep you safe until the heat dies down. Try to stay out of trouble, Kole, okay?"

"Yo, Andy! We goin' or what?!" Vic's voice seemed to echo in Kole's ears, and Andy's tired sigh came over the line again.

"Is she still in Rio?"

"Hmm? No, she's in New York."

"How…convenient." Andy rattled off Jo's new address, and Kole committed it to memory. She had just stuffed the phone back in her pocket when the sound of gunfire sounded all around her, and she ducked down even more. It was time for her to make a house call.

**.xXx.**

"Excuse me, sir?"

"What is it, JARVIS?" Tony didn't look away from the hardware he was working on as he waited for the AI to speak again.

"I need your authorization to enact the soundproof protocol on Miss Jo's room." Tony blinked at that and looked around the lab. He'd come back up to work after Thor cleaned them out at Skittle poker, and he'd assumed that everyone else had gone to bed. As for the soundproof protocol, it was supposed to engage whenever the sound in one person's room was loud enough to be heard by the others in the house.

"What kind of sound is it?"

"I believe she is having a nightmare, sir." Tony was up and moving without a second thought, and he talked as he strode down the hallways towards Jo's room.

"From now on, you do not need my authorization to enact any soundproof protocols. Oh, and I want to be alerted immediately if Jo is having a nightmare."

"As you wish, sir." Tony stopped right in front of Jo's room, and he could barely make out the sound of muffled shouting. He carefully opened the door to peek inside, but he couldn't really see anything. It was completely silent inside, except for Jo's quick intakes of air. The door was closed gently behind him, and he slowly made his way farther into the room.

"No more…I can't take anymore," Jo groaned out. Her rough voice was even huskier than usual, and the light from Tony's arc reactor lit up her bed. The fluffy dark blue comforter was balled up on the floor, her giant pillows had been tossed across the room, and the light blue sheets were tangled around her ankles. Long brown hair was strewn across the bed, and Jo was only wearing a pink tank top and green panties. Sweat covered her skin, and her whole body was tensed up.

"Jo?" Tony's voice wasn't a whisper or a shout, but it didn't matter because Jo obviously didn't hear it.

"Ya gotta stop. I can't keep up; it's too much. Just let me recover, let me _heal_," Jo ended with a whimper. Tony couldn't recall ever hearing his loudmouthed bodyguard whimper, and the sound bothered him. Tony thought back to his own nightmares and remembered Jo's hand combing through his hair and of her whispering that was how her mother used to comfort her. It was how her sister soothed her. Tony's fingers lightly touched against the heavy weight of her hair, and Jo jumped up with a scream.

"Jo! It's me!" Her scream pounded against his skull, but she stayed still. She didn't lash out like most people when they were afraid. If anything, she stopped moving completely. Except for the screaming. Tony's hands locked on the side of her face, and he braced his forehead against hers as he leaned over her. This close, the scream was so loud that he thought it would deafen him. "Come on, Jo. Wake up for me, come on, you can do it."

"Just stop. Please, just make it stop," Jo whispered. Her bottom lip scraped against his goatee, and she was starting to tremble.

"Open your eyes, Jo. You're not there anymore. You're with me; you're with Tony, and we're safe." Hands suddenly reached up to grip his wrists, and he slowly blinked his eyes open. Watery dark hazel met his gaze, and he smiled.

"T-Tony?" He relaxed his grip and moved one hand to cup the back of her head.

"Yeah, I'm here," he breathed out. He felt Jo nod and then came the waterworks. Jo didn't make a sound, but her eyes looked like broken faucets. She was shaking again, and Tony didn't know what to do.

"You can go now. I'll be fine." It was said with a full-body shudder and lips wet with tears, and Tony knew that he couldn't leave her. Not after all the shit she put up with to get him sober.

"Not a chance." He grabbed the comforter off the floor, snatched up the sheet, and set about getting them as comfortable as possible. After what felt like three lifetimes, he finally got them comfortable. He was sprawled out on the bed on his back and, for once, Jo was the one curled up to him. Her tears were dripping into the curve of his neck, she had the bottom of his shirt wrapped around her fist, and her legs were wrapped tightly around one of his.

"Tony, I—"

"Shh, just get some sleep." Tony moved an arm under her hair and braced his palm against the back of her neck so his fingertips could brush her scalp. It took him nearly an hour to fall asleep, and Jo was sound asleep and still crying.

**.xXx.**

"Oh, fudge!" Jo woke up with a start and tried to jump out of bed, until she realized that she couldn't. Her boss's body was set firmly between her legs, his fingers were tangled with hers, and he was drooling on the bare skin of her stomach. At first she couldn't remember why Tony was in her bed, until she remembered her nightmare. Tony had woken her up, comforted her, and stayed with her. Well, that was one question answered. She glanced up to see who had woken her, and her eyes widened when she caught sight of the figure in her room.

"Kole! Are you okay? What happened?" Kole was not looking so good. Her shaggy pink hair was sticking up all over the place, there were light circles under her dark gray eyes, and she was hurt. The purple cargo shorts and white tank top had bloodstains on them, and Jo could see scrapes on her knees.

"Before I get into that, why didn't you tell me that you were dating Tony Stark?" Jo blinked and then looked down at her boss. At her friend.

"Because I'm not. I'm his bodyguard, and I'm pretty sure we're friends. I tried to call you but couldn't get through." A light dusting of pink covered Kole's cheeks, and she shifted lightly on her feet.

"I might have lost my phone. Andy was supposed to pass on my new number."

"Well, she's been busy lately. I think her and Vic are on a job."

"Why is there talking? Make it stop," Tony groaned. He shifted around and turned his face towards Kole, and Jo absently unlaced one hand so she could run her fingers through his hair.

"Wow, he really is a looker. Are you sure you two aren't, you know?" Jo watched as Tony's eyes opened, he noticed Kole, and then moved his head to look at her.

"Why is there a bloody girl in your bedroom?"

"That's Kole Michaels, my best friend. We haven't gotten around to the why yet. I've been trying to explain how this isn't what it looks like."

"And for once, I'll actually mean it. How'd she get in?"

"She's a mutant. She's got the whole invisible and flying thing."

"Why can't you fly?" Jo flicked the end of his nose and then looked over at her bloody friend.

"How'd you get inside though?" JARVIS might not be able to sense her when she's invisible, because she doesn't have a heat signature either, but he would definitely know if someone slipped inside.

"You left your balcony door open and before you ask, I knew it was yours because only you would have a couch on a balcony." Kole smiled at her friend and shifted on her feet. The move pulled at the skin of her stomach, and Jo's eyes narrowed on the thin fresh trail of blood.

"I've got a first aid kit in the bathroom. Wait here and I'll grab it." Jo managed to wiggle out from under Tony, who flopped face down onto the bed and kept one eye open to look at Kole.

"Jo's best friend, huh?" The girl slowly blinked and smiled sweetly down at him.

"Be nice to Kole. She's the nicest person ever, and I'll kick your ass if you hurt her feelings," Jo stated calmly as she walked back into the room.

"Hey! I'm a nice guy!"

"Alright, let's take a look at ya. And while I'm at it, you can start explaining what happened." Kole shrugged her shoulders so her backpack would fall off and stepped up to stand between Jo's spread thighs. Without another word, she stripped her shirt off and glanced down at her stomach. The cuts weren't very deep, but they bled a pretty good bit and stung.

"Well, I found one of HYDRA's temporary bases—"

"They're still around?" Jo glared behind her at Tony and then asked a question of her own.

"You know Viper hates you, so why'd you go stirrin' shit up, Kole?"

"Viper?"

"Madam HYDRA, and a massive bitch. Kole has a knack for pissin' her off, and HYDRA in general," Jo quickly explained.

"I was bored. I managed to get in and even got my hands on something. I was almost out, but Viper saw me. She shot me with something that…it was so weird, Jo. It was like I couldn't access my powers. Like they were frozen. So I was stuck on the edge of a HYDRA base without being able to go hollow or fly. I didn't think I was going to make it. I managed to get over a fence, complete with barbwire. I called Andy, but she said she was busy on a job with Vic. Then she said that you were in New York, which was really good because the HYDRA base was in Canada."

"Of course you can stay here!" Jo was swiping an alcohol pad across Kole's knees as she spoke, and Tony poked the exposed part of her back.

"She can?"

"You're not going to kick out my best friend, are you? She stole something from HYDRA, so they're going to be looking for her. This is the safest place for her." Jo fell backwards onto Tony's back, and she completely ignored his groan as she stared up at him.

"We do have a spare bedroom up here."

"Uh, Kole might feel better in the spare room on the ground floor." Kole's grin stretched her cheeks, and Jo knew she had made the right call.

"Why the ground floor?"

"Because Kole is kinda lazy, unless she wants to steal something."

"Steal something?"

"Hey! Thor made pancakes and have you seen Tony?" Jo tilted her chin down to see Clint step into the room, and she watched as his eyes went wide.

"Clint, don't—"

"Hollow!" Even though Clint was only wearing loose flannel pants and a sleeveless shirt, he somehow managed to pull out a gun and train it on Kole's head. Kole turned around slowly, still shirtless, with her hands raised in the air.

"You cannot shoot Kole, Clint."

"She's wanted on six continents, Jo. All SHIELD agents have orders to arrest her on sight."

"What'd she steal from you guys?"

"She's a wanted thief?!" Jo blindly reached back to pat the top of Tony's head, got his face instead, and decided that was close enough.

"A fighter jet," Clint mumbled.

"And?" Kole prompted.

"Director Fury's eye patch," Clint bit out.

"She can stay," Tony said decisively.

"She's under our protection, Clint. HYDRA's after her," Jo explained. Clint finally put his gun away and crossed his arms as he glared at Kole.

"What'd you steal from them?"

"I don't know, I was going to give it to Andy to look over. Would you mind looking it over for me, Mr. Stark?"

"Tony and gimme." Jo was jostled around as Tony rolled into a sitting position, and she rolled her eyes as he made grabby hands. Kole passed over her backpack, and Tony peered inside with a manic grin. Jo tried not to sigh at the now familiar look and failed. Getting Tony out of the lab was gonna be impossible, more than usual.

"So, Jo, how do you get anything done around here?" Jo turned away from Tony's scarily happy face, and his tornado thoughts, to look over at her best friend.

"What do you mean? My only job is to keep Tony alive, and I've made it one hundred and seventy-five days so far."

"I just don't see how you stay focused. There's a handsome billionaire in your bed, and the agent over there is a cutie even when he's angry," Kole said with a slow wink at Clint. Tony preened, Clint scowled while trying not to smile, and Jo outright laughed.

"Wait until you meet the resident god."

**.xXx.**

Darcy was happily munching on one of Thor's _fucktastic_ pancakes when Clint finally wandered back in, with two people behind him. Instead of Jo and Tony, it was Jo and some pink haired girl. Thor waved his spatula in greeting, and Natasha immediately pulled her gun and pointed it at the unknown girl's head. The fact that she kept chewing like business as usual was Darcy's first clue that her world was officially topsy-turvy. Jo immediately stepped in front of the girl, and Clint moved to do the same after a moment's hesitation. Darcy took another bite despite the tension in the air. What? Forget thunder, he should be ruling over the pancake franchise.

"Hollow, we have orders to take you in," Natasha stated calmly. Darcy took in her outfit of sleeping shorts and a spaghetti strapped top; where did the gun come from? Where'd she keep it stashed? And what kind of name was Hollow?

"We're gonna protect her, Tasha," Clint said quietly. Natasha's eyes never moved from the girl, but her body shifted towards Clint slightly.

"She's wanted in ninety-nine countries. She stole one of our jets." Darcy ran her eyes over the woman and didn't see how that was possible. She had short _pink_ hair in a _pixie_ cut, and her dark gray eyes looked pretty cool. And she was so small. She didn't have any curves and was only five-two (shorter than Darcy's own five-five), and she looked even smaller standing behind Jo's curves and five-seven height. Not to mention Clint's five-ten form, with his nice lean muscles, and those arms, and those pretty eyes…

"—stole from HYDRA. Tony's looking over it now," Clint explained. Okay, she missed some of that conversation. Whoops.

"We cannot allow the young maiden to be hunted down," Thor stated.

"I promise to behave," the girl said quietly. Her voice was soft and teasing, and she had a slight flush on her pale cheeks. Oh, and her clothes were bloody.

"Director Fury is not going to be happy with this. You'll fill him in, won't you, Eris?" Natasha asked with a pointed look. Eris? Wait, yeah, that was Jo's codename. So, was Hollow the girl's codename? Could she have a codename?

"You really do hate me, don't you, Nat?" Natasha's green eyes narrowed in a glare, and Darcy snorted back a laugh at the two women. They were having a glaring match over a table piled high with pancakes, and they were both barely dressed. Natasha had a gun stashed on her mostly bare body somewhere, and Jo wasn't even wearing pants!

"Come, Lady Kole, and feast with us." Shit, did she miss the name exchanges?

"Just Kole is fine. Darcy, right?" the girl asked as she sat down right next to her. Darcy nodded her head but couldn't speak because her cheeks were stuffed full of pancakes. Natasha started asking questions, and Darcy paid attention this time as everyone sat down to eat. So, the girl stole something from a supervillain group, and Tony was trying to find out what it was. She was also a mutant who could go invisible and fly. That was pretty cool.

"How'd you two meet?" Darcy asked. The big explanations were over, and the silence was starting to freak Darcy out. Also, the girl said she was close friends with Jo, so they had to meet somehow.

"I met Jo at our boarding school. I'd been there since forever, and Jo came when we were ten. We were roommates, and we've been friends since our first meeting. Right, Jo?"

"Damn straight," Jo mumbled around a mouthful of pancakes.

"Language."

"Yes, ma'am!" Jo gave a two fingered salute, and Kole gave her a bright smile. Natasha was still glaring at the two of them, Clint looked like his world had spiraled out of control (Darcy could relate with that one), and Thor was actually smiling. It didn't quite reach his eyes, but it was a start. Yeah, being here was a great start.

**July 17, 2014**

"Clint! I missed you!" Jo wrapped herself around the archer like a starfish, and Clint chuckled as he caught his footing and the mutant.

"Just who I was lookin' for. JARVIS said you were in here, alone. What happened to everyone else?"

"You and Nat were off on your separate missions, and she hasn't come back yet. Thor is visiting in Asgard, Darcy took Kole shopping because the little thing can't keep wearing my clothes, and Tony is locked away in his lab. So, I've been in here reading." Jo glanced back at the abandoned book laying on the big table that was the centerpiece of the library.

"Well, I know something that's better than dancing," Clint grinned.

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

"JARVIS? Seventy-six."

"Right away, sir." Jo squealed as Clint picked her up and jumped onto the long table, and she was laughing when he set her on her feet. She straightened her back and tried to hold her smile in, but she was failing. Clint bowed at the waist, like the gentleman he wasn't but knew how to be, and raised a hand to ask for a dance. Jo smiled at the familiar tune and placed her hand in his just as the music started.

**.xXx.**

"_Aaaat laaaast, my loooove has come along. My lonely days are over…and life is like a song! Oh, yeah, yeah." _So, that's where she was. Tony peeked his head into the library, looking for his bodyguard, and found her with her favorite dancing partner. He had a feeling that he should be upset about the two of them dancing on the old, and expensive, table but he wasn't. Not when they were dancing so sweetly again. Seeing the two dancing like idiots was common, but this was the first time he'd seen them slow dancing since the Elvis song nearly two months ago.

"_At last, the skies above are blue."_ Jo was fully dressed for once, in a pair of ripped denim shorts and a light gray tee shirt. Tony was pretty sure that her hair was up earlier, but the brown mass was hanging freely down to her hips now. Clint was still dressed in the tight black pants and sleeveless black shirt he wore on missions, but the two were both barefoot as they twirled around the table.

"_My heart was wrapped up in clover, the night I looked at you."_ Clint swiped a hand down the side of Jo's face, and Jo spun away from him as if in embarrassment with her hands pressed against her stomach. Clint's front molded to her back as he reached around to grab her hands, and Tony could hear Jo singing quietly with her rough voice as she danced away from Clint again. Clint followed her easily, and they danced around each other, face-to-face, without touching.

"_I found a dream, that I could speak to, a dream that I, can call my own."_ Jo's singing voice was rough, but it fit the song. She finished the line with her back to Clint once again, and she swayed lightly from side to side as the archer pressed against her once more.

"_I found a thrill, to press my cheek to, a thrill that I, have never known." _Clint sung the beginning of his line with his cheek pressed to Jo's, and Jo let him spin her around again. Clint tossed her into the air with the next verse and easily caught her with his hands locked around her waist, and Jo sang the following _"Oh, yeah, yeah"_ as she was lowered back to the ground.

"_You smile, you smile."_

"_Oh and then the spell was cast." _They were dancing sweetly again, gracefully, like real lovers. They never broke eye contact as they sang to each other, first Clint and then Jo. It looked so real, with the gentle smiles and familiar touches, and Tony had never wanted to be a telepath more, just so he could know what they were thinking about.

"_And here we are."_

Clint was thinking of Lily, the little girl in the circus who was brave and snuck into his cot at night because she was scared of the shadows. He thought of her big blue eyes blinking up at him as she balanced her little feet on top of his, and he remembered the sound of her laugh as he dipped her far enough for her pretty blonde curls to brush the dirt covered ground. Thinking about Lily didn't hurt when he was dancing. He didn't see her thin and dying with coughs shaking her too small body. He saw her laughing as they danced.

"_In heaven."_

Jo was thinking of Camille Holbrook, her Ma. She thought of lazy Sunday mornings in the kitchen, when she was still really small. She thought of how her mother would grab her hand and spin her around the kitchen just as the sun was lighting up the room. She could see herself dancing through light beams like another little piece of dust being revealed, and she could hear her mother singing quietly as they danced from tile to tile in the kitchen. It was their special time; moments for just the two of them.

"_For you are mine."_

They both remember those tense first meetings, first in the hospital where Jo was held captive and the grueling debriefing that took a few weeks. Clint remembers a skinny and pale Jo, with dark circles under her eyes and the way she continuously rubbed a hand over her shaved head. Jo remembers the still young and angry agent, with eyes that burned with protective rage for his friend and a raw guilt for hurting someone he was meant to save. They both remember the night the debriefing was over and they wound up at the same seedy bar despite taking off from base separately. They remember matching drink for drink, they remember first impressions melting away under a new bond, and they remember their first dance. The smell of cheap beer and sawdust, the yellow light all around them, Jo's bony hips and Clint's wiry arms, and Nancy Sinatra singing, _"Bang, bang…my baby shot me down."_

"_At last." _They ended the song completely pressed together, with Jo's arms locked around Clint's shoulders and Clint's arms wrapped tightly around Jo's hips. Their eyes were connected, and they were smiling like they were sharing a secret. Tony fought the urge to clap, because he didn't want to ruin the moment.

"Hiya, boss," Jo said with a throaty whisper. Her and Clint were both smiling at him now, and they both looked so relaxed. Maybe he should give dancing a try.

"Sorry to intrude," he said with a big grin of his own. Clint propped his cheek on top of Jo's head, and Jo snuggled under the archer's chin.

"Whatcha need?" Jo was nearly slurring her words, and Clint's smile was bordering on dopey. Tony was almost jealous of the peace they seemed to find with each other, but he remembered Jo's fingers tightening around his shirt as she let him comfort her. He also knew that Clint was still closer to Natasha than anyone else, so Tony didn't have to worry about someone stealing his bodyguard away.

"I've been looking at the equipment Kole stole and—" He was cut off as the mansion shook, and Clint and Jo sprung apart.

"JARVIS! What the hell's happening?!"

"HYDRA is attacking the mansion, sir. I believe they are looking for Miss Kole."

* * *

**Finis: **I feel like a lot happened in this chapter; did a lot happen in this chapter? First off, I'm sorry for making Thor sad. I don't like it when the big guy is sad, but it's a necessary evil. I like Jane and have nothing against her, so I won't bash on her or anything. I just don't like her and Thor; they just didn't _mesh_ well to me for some reason. Darcy stays though because I absolutely love her, and I can see her having a brother-sister thing with Thor.

There were some new characters in this chapter too, and I know new people can be a little confusing sometimes. Don't worry, things will be explained more as the story goes along. Detailing it all now wouldn't be very fun, would it? Kole will be in the next chapter more, obviously. [Sorry for the cliffhanger, but it felt like a good place to end it.]

As for Jo and Clint, like Jo and Tony, no romance whatsoever. I like their sweet dancing scenes though, so I thought I'd delve into the reasons _why_ behind the dancing. I hope it all made sense. [Also, it's really tempting to write a little story about their very first dance.] The songs used are Etta James's "At Last" and Nancy Sinatra's "Bang Bang."


	6. Paint Chipped Hero

**TIB: **Before reading this chapter, I just want you to know that I've posted two side stories that go along with this one. The first one, **Bang Bang**, is about Jo and Clint's first dance. I couldn't help myself. The second one, **The Other Guy**, is about what Dr. Banner has been up to before his debut in this chapter. It's actually referenced in this chapter, so reading it might be a good idea.

A special thanks to **Plague's Vengeance **(Bruce has arrived! Which makes Thor happy, so I'm counting it as a double win!) and **luzi blackbird **(I'm glad you love the story, Bruce is here, and thanks for the cookies!)

* * *

"_I haven't been destroyed, dammit! My paint's just a little fuckin' chipped!"  
__**Jo on her mental state**_

**.xXx.**

**Chapter Six  
****Paint Chipped Hero**

* * *

**July 17, 2014**

"I'll handle it," Jo mumbled and jumped off the table.

"I'm comin'," Clint said and followed her down.

"Same here," Tony said as they reached him.

"You're both crazy. You don't owe Kole anything, Clint. As for you, boss, the suit isn't up and runnin' yet. Stay here and let me take care of this, both of you," Jo said without breaking her stride. "JARVIS, can you give me access to the roof? And call Darcy. Tell them not to come back until the HYDRA agents have been cleared."

"Of course, Miss Jo." The rest of the house was already on lockdown so no one could get inside. Clint mumbled something under his breath as he moved off away from them, and Tony followed Jo as she ran up the stairs.

"You can't take on HYDRA by yourself!" Tony realized that his suit wasn't fully operational, _yet_, but Jo couldn't fight on her own. Wasn't that the point of everything? To not fight alone anymore?

"I'm not takin' on HYDRA. I'm gettin' rid of a few agents sent to bring Kole to Viper kickin' and screamin'." They were at the elevator now, the one next to Jo's room that could either take them down to the basement or up to the roof. Jo bypassed it and went into her room. When Tony got inside, Jo was tugging on a pair of heavy looking boots.

"You could get hurt."

"I'm going to get hurt. I'm going to bleed and might even break something, but I'll heal. You won't." Jo had the boots tied now and was balling her hair up.

"I don't want you out there alone."

"Tough titty said the kitty," Jo mumbled as she finished with her hair.

"We don't have time for flippant remarks!"

"Because those are your specialty?" Tony just glared as Jo stopped in front of him, and Jo sighed as reached up to press her palms against stubbled cheeks. "You're not ready to fight, and I was fighting long before Fury sent me to you. As your bodyguard, I'm asking you to stay secure here. As your friend, I'm asking you to let me keep you safe."

"Jo—" The house shook again, and Jo's lips thinned as she glanced up at the ceiling.

"I'll be back." Jo moved around him, and the elevator doors were closing when he stepped out into the hallway. He caught a flash of dark hazel eyes before the doors slid closed, and he didn't waste another second before running to the lab.

**.xXx.**

"Okay, I'm confused again. You're a good guy thief?" Darcy asked before popping another fry into her mouth.

"I'm a thief that was raised by good guys, but I don't think I'm a bad guy. I don't steal things for personal gain, and I don't steal from good people. I normally sell whatever I steal and give the money away. I steal out of boredom and for the challenge."

"But you were raised by the dude that runs the boarding school?"

"The Professor knew my parents; they were killed when I was two months old, so he took me in. He's a good man," Kole whispered. Darcy knew about the older mutant, most people did. Kole's light pink hair brushed over her dark gray eyes, and Darcy took another bite of her burger. The two had been shopping all day, and Darcy liked Kole's easygoing ways and teasing smiles. Her personality was softer than Jo's, but they had the same gentle spirit. Kole's was just easier to see.

"Jo said that it was rare for a mutant to have more than one ability, but you can fly and go invisible?" Kole's lips curled in a smile as she nodded her head.

"My mother could fly, and my father was the invisible one. It is rare for someone to have both, but I guess I'm just special. The flying is easy, like breathing, but the invisibility is harder. I can't hold it for too long, and it really wears me out." That was interesting. Darcy assumed all of the super people were always, you know, _super._ The sound of her phone ringing cut off her thoughts, but she didn't recognize the number. With a shrug, she answered the phone and balanced it between her cheek and shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"Miss Darcy, I have been commanded to ask you and Miss Kole to remain away from the mansion until further notice." That was definitely JARVIS. When did he get her number? Wait, professional stalker, right.

"What's going on?"

"The mansion is being attacked by HYDRA agents. No worries, Miss Jo is handling the situation." The phone cut off, and Darcy looked across the small table at her companion. At the pink haired mutant that was hiding out from supervillain's that were currently attacking Tony Stark's mansion. Right.

**.xXx.**

"I! Hate! All! Of! You! Assholes!" Jo yelled just as another barrage hit her. There was a helicopter above her, and a few agents were on the roof with her once they realized their little bombs couldn't put a dent in the Avengers Mansion. Well, it could shake it up, but the place was still whole. Jo had never appreciated Tony's constant paranoia more.

"Hand over Hollow, Eris!" one of the agents called out. Jo kicked him off the roof with high hopes that he'd land on his head. Lady Luck owed her that much at least.

"Still want her?" Jo asked as she turned to face the three remaining agents. They took off running back to the helicopter, and Jo cheered as she watched them go. "Yeah! You better run!"

"Could you be anymore cliché?" Jo tilted her head back to see dark green eyes and long black hair, and she propped her fists on her hips.

"Look who's talkin', _Dr. Green_." The Viper's dark eyes narrowed, but Jo wasn't worried. The old green bitch could do whatever she wanted.

"I have a message for Hollow. Tell her to return our property, or we'll come back and do this again."

"What? Give me people to throw off rooftops?" Viper's smile was slow, and Jo watched with confused eyes as the jet she was in slowly lifted higher into the air. Jo realized there was a bomb aimed right at her around the time that it fired. She knew the mansion would be okay, she knew that she would survive the hit, and she knew that it would hurt like hell. The bomb landed and went off a few feet in front of her, and her eyes squeezed closed as she waited for the blast to rip through her. There was heat, but she wasn't exploding. All of her limbs were accounted for. She slowly peeked her eyes open and saw a wall of green.

"Okay?" The voice was more of a growl, with a lot of anger, but it wasn't menacing. No, not menacing at all. The giant green wall of muscle was protecting her from the worst of the blast and seeing him up close was absolutely breathtaking. Jo glanced up to take in the green features, and she was surprised to see the concerned look in the big guy's green gaze.

"My hero!" Jo gathered some strength into her legs to help her push off the ground, and she locked her arms around his thick neck. His back was still burning hot, but she didn't care. She heard his grunt and then squealed when he lifted her higher into the air. She was deposited on one broad shoulder, and her hand reached over to brush some dust out of his curly dark hair.

"Jo! Are you—Whoa!" Tony slid to a stop as he looked around, and Jo grinned down at him from her new seat.

"Is she okay?!" Clint exploded around a corner, and Jo took note of his bow. She raised a brow in question, and Clint looked from her to the weapon in his hands. "There were a few on the ground. Next time, try aiming before you push someone off the roof."

"Kicked," Jo pointed off.

"Hulk, buddy, when did you get here?" Tony asked. Jo had to resist the urge to look into her current savior's mind.

"Banner coming to stay. Heard guns." The big green guy shrugged, and Jo slowly moved up and down with the gesture.

"Glad you did too. That was gonna hurt like a bitch."

"Humph, you too puny."

"Hey, we're all puny next to you," Jo said and dropped her head to the top of his. Her numerous injuries were letting themselves be known now that the adrenaline was wearing off, and everything was starting to throb.

"Did you know Hulk could talk?" Clint whispered.

"No idea," Tony whispered back. Jo slumped completely against the side of Hulk's head, and she saw the blurry shapes of Tony and Clint stepping forward. Then everything went black.

**.xXx.**

Inside the Hulk's mind, Bruce could see and hear everything. It was still a little disconcerting, being in the back of his own mind, but he was slowly getting used to the sensation. Right now, he could feel the way the woman was resting slackly against him and could see two men stepping towards him. Bruce knew them, could identify them, and so could the Hulk.

"_You need to put her down. She's been hurt and needs to be taken care of,"_ Bruce said gently. He had an understanding with the Hulk, and he knew the other guy would listen to him.

"_**Take care of her?"**_

"_Yeah, I'll take care of her."_ Bruce could feel the big fist wrapping so gently around the woman, but he didn't place her on the ground. Instead, he carefully held the body to his massive chest as he started to retreat. Bruce normally wasn't conscious for his return, so he was still getting used to this part as well. A few heartbeats later, Bruce was standing on Tony Stark's roof completely naked with Tony's bodyguard unconscious in his arms.

"Hey, Bruce! Long time no see," Tony said with a too-wide grin. His eyes kept darting down to the woman, and Bruce wasn't really sure what to do. What was the protocol for this sort of thing?

"Yeah, Doc, it's really nice to see you. All of you. Wow, you are really naked." Bruce glanced down to see hazy hazel eyes staring at him, and a small smile touched her lips.

"How are you still conscious?" He couldn't see all of her, but he had a good idea about what kind of shape she was in.

"It's a tank thing," she giggled.

"Okay, it's down to the med facilities for you, tank," Tony said and turned to walk away. Bruce looked down at the bodyguard, who was smiling up at him with half of her face covered in blood.

"I think green is my new favorite color."

"She is really out of it. She must've taken a really hard hit to the head," Clint said with a shit-eating grin. Bruce remembered Tony and Clint, but he didn't remember everyone being this relaxed.

"You should come down too. I can stitch that up for you, if you like," Bruce said with a pointed look at the still bleeding hole in Clint's arm. They were walking to where Tony was holding the elevator for them, and Clint smiled over at him.

"Yeah? Thanks, Doc. I need to call in SHIELD to come take care of the bodies first." The elevator doors closed, and Jo groaned as she turned her face into Bruce's bare chest.

"She needs to be treated first anyway."

"Mmm, my hero," she sighed and promptly passed out once again.

**.xXx.**

"Oh, Jo." The three men in the room froze at the sound of the sad sigh and remained motionless as the two women walked farther inside. Kole didn't pay any attention to Tony, who was so tense that it was starting to look painful. She didn't notice Clint, whose eyes missed nothing and was dripping blood. She didn't notice Bruce, who was stitching up the archer and only wearing a pair of scrub pants. She didn't even notice Darcy, whose elbow knocked against hers as they looked down at Jo.

"I thought she was indestructible," Darcy whispered. She watched Jo spar with the God of Thunder and get shot in the head, and Jo had laughed it all off before convincing them to play poker.

"They must have really hit her hard. Jo can heal much faster than a normal human and can survive injuries that humans can't, but she still has her limits. Healing so much damage in such a short span of time, it takes its toll. Sometimes, the paint on the tank chips," Kole said with a trembling smile.

Jo looked, to use her friend's manner of speaking, like fuckin' shit. She was stripped down to her matching set of sailor blue bra and panties, and her blood-caked hair was half up and half down. Her long tanned limbs were clean of blood, but that just made it easier to see the bruises. Kole noticed the severe swelling of her ribs and around her right bicep, so there were some broken bones as well. Bullet holes peppered across her bare flesh, like she'd been hit by a firing squad. Kole hated seeing her friend look so…weak.

"Keep it clean, and I'll check in a few days to see if they are ready to come out. Um, Tony? I know we have a lot to talk about, but I could use a little rest, after…"

"Yeah, no problem, big guy. Right this way."

"Yo, Stark! Hold up!" Tony held the elevator for Darcy, and she disappeared inside with the two geniuses. Kole looked up and caught the archer's eyes. He was standing on the other side of the table that Jo was laying on, and Kole raised her chin a little.

"I don't trust you," Clint said after a beat of silence.

"I don't trust you either. There's a reason that Andy hates you," Kole tossed out. The muscle in Clint's jaw ticked, but he kept his calm.

"Jo and I have moved past that." Natasha and Jo might not get along, but Clint counted Jo among one of his few friends.

"You never heard her real voice. She used to read to me, when we were younger. She had the most beautiful voice. The voice of an angel with a body of steel." Kole's already dark gray eyes were nearly black, but Clint wasn't backing down. Kole had a sinking suspicion that he knew why she was lashing out when not even a week ago she called him a cutie after he pulled a gun on her. Jo always said that his sharp eyes missed nothing.

"She left some lasting scars of her own that day, and I'm not the reason she's on that table today." Clint strode off without looking back, and Kole waited until the elevator was moving again before sinking into the chair at Jo's bedside.

"No, I am."

**.xXx.**

Coming back to consciousness was not a pleasant feeling; it was fuckin' amazing. Jo realizes that doesn't make any sense, but it is what it is. She's still sore, so she's still in the process of healing, but she's alive. Sometimes referring to oneself as indestructible can give a person a big head, but that just means that there's a bigger target to deflate. Jo felt a heavy pressure on her left hand, and she forced her head up to get a better look.

"Hey, take it easy. You shouldn't be moving around just yet." Jo's head swiveled to the side, and she felt her brows pull together as she tried to place the man. He looked normal enough, with his mop of curly brown hair and nice brown eyes, but Jo knows better than most that looks can be deceiving. Her eyes, still a bit hazy but clearing with every passing second, narrowed in on the blue button-down shirt. She caught a flash of a green chest and then a hairy tanned chest.

"Hey, Doc! Sorry for the Sleeping Beauty routine. I guess you patched me up? Did you turn Tony and Clint into nurses?" Bruce tried not to be surprised at the bodyguard's easy tone, and he shouldn't be after the whole jumping hug thing on the roof. In the past twelve hours, he'd slept for nine and spent the past three telling himself that it was all because of her delirious state.

"Clint was a patient. Nothing big, just a graze on his arm. Tony was more of a…hmm."

"Nuisance?" Jo offered. Her mind started spinning, and she struggled to lift her body. Bruce, who still had a hand braced against hers on top of the table, just watched her progress.

"He was just worried, they all were. I convinced your friend to go up and get some rest. She stayed by your side for hours." Jo swung her legs over the side of the table and turned her head to look at the good doctor.

"The idiot's probably driving herself crazy with guilt. I'll go see Tony first, because I know he isn't sleeping. Then I'll go knock some sense into Kole. How're Clint and Darcy?"

"Uh, I haven't seen anyone else. I came down here after I woke up." Jo rolled her neck to listen to the satisfying pops, and Bruce watched the way her mostly free hair swayed with the movement.

"Alright, well, first things first. I'm going up to get a shower. I can definitely feel blood in my hair, and it makes me all itchy. You should eat somethin', Doc. Knowing Tony, he'll want to schedule a team meeting and make us all talk." She was standing next to him now, and Bruce was startled to realize that she was only an inch shorter than him.

"I didn't think team meetings would be Tony's thing," Bruce laughed quietly.

"Tony takes any chance to talk about himself." Jo was smiling over at him again, perfectly at ease even though she was covered in bruises with blood in her hair.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right." Jo grinned and then walked away, and Bruce wanted to ask her to lay back down. Her back was mottled with bruises divided by deep cuts, and she should not be up and moving. Bruce moved to the doorway to watch her enter the elevator, and she smiled at him once last time after turning around.

"See you later, hero!" Bruce stood stunned for a moment and leaned heavily against the doorway. He tried to coincide the bruised walking mass of flesh with the panicked sound of her rough voice as she shook in a bathtub with a naked and hallucinating Tony Stark. The woman wasn't anything like he suspected, but that shouldn't be surprising.

**.xXx.**

Tony was half asleep when he heard his bedroom door closing, and he opened bleary eyes to see a freshly showered Jo sauntering over to him. He knew she was freshly showered because her wet hair was pulled up into a tight ball, and she had changed into yellow panties and a nice black button-up shirt with the sleeves pushed to her elbows.

"Is that my shirt?" Tony grinned as Jo balanced on the edge of the bed on her knees, and Jo smiled gently back.

"Yeah, it's the strangest thing. I found it just lying on my bed and thought I'd take it for a ride. Looks good on me, right?" Jo carefully lowered herself down onto the bed, and Tony rolled over onto his back. Jo practically sunk down onto him, and he panicked for a moment about where to put his hands. She was one walking bruise, and he didn't want to hurt her. Her head was pillowed on the space between the arc reactor and his collarbone, and Jo's hand was pressed flat against his stomach since he was shirtless. Tony finally settled on placing his hand against her hip, lightly, so he wouldn't hurt her.

"You're an idiot," Tony huffed.

"Duly noted."

"I mean it, a real idiot. What were you thinking?" Tony's voice was harsh, but Jo smiled right on. She tilted her face up to look at him.

"You're safe." She said it so easily, like it was the simplest thing in the world. Maybe, for her, it was.

**July 18, 2014**

Jo's second return to consciousness was much more pleasant. There was still a dull throb of pain across her body, but it was fading. The front of her body was pressed flush against another's side, and her hand was flat against a slow moving stomach. Her bicep was somehow behind her head so she could bury her fingers in Tony's hair, and the fact that she recognized her boss's hair from touch alone was a little frightening. Her cheek was smushed against the top of his chest, and she felt his exhales on her forehead. Another body was snuggled up to her back and radiating warmth, with an arm curled around her stomach and a leg resting between hers.

"Can I wake up like this every day?" Tony slurred sleepily.

"Operation lifetime sleepover is a go," Kole mumbled back.

"You're both idiots," Jo groaned out. She felt the two bodies tensing against hers and grinned.

"Jo, I'm so sor—" Jo managed to twist around so that she was on her back, and she slapped a hand against her friend's mouth. Her head ducked to catch dark gray eyes, and she made a point to not even blink.

"No apologies, from anyone. You didn't think that HYDRA would be stupid enough to attack Tony Stark's mansion, Tony wasn't expecting a fight so soon, Clint wound up shooting some people anyway, and I knew what I was getting into. So, no apologies, got it?"

"Got it!" Tony and Kole shouted it at the same time, and Jo smiled in triumph. The three were just starting to drift off again when the door slammed open, and Jo groaned as her body automatically went vertical. She felt Kole and Tony both running hands over her, and she was quick to swat them away.

"I really need to stop walking in on you three," Clint mumbled.

"Would you care to join us, Agent Cutie?" Kole asked with a too wide grin. Jo decided to not even wonder what the meaningful look they were sharing was all about.

"I'd rather have some of Thor's awesome pancakes," Clint grinned.

"I am so down with that," Tony said and started trying to get out of bed.

"Mmm, pancakes," Kole sighed.

"Food would be awesome right about now," Jo added. The three followed Clint out of the room, and Jo looped her arm around Tony's as they started down the stairs. She didn't want to say anything, but her ribs were still tender and the gazillion stairs were not helping.

"Jo! I offer my apologies for not assisting you in yesterday's battle," Thor said solemnly as soon as they entered the dining room.

"Don't worry about it, big guy. Hulk and I managed to hold the fort down." Bruce, who had been sitting quietly at the table, smiled shyly at her. Tony freed himself from his bodyguard's hold and went to sit next to his fellow scientist while Kole moved off to sit next to a sleeping Darcy. The youngest of the house was slumped over the table and sniffing quietly every once in a while.

"Still, I have prepared you a feast!" Thor bounded off, and Jo gently lowered herself down into the chair between Tony and Darcy.

"Not healing at your usual pace?" Natasha asked. The two assassins were seated across the table, and Jo lifted her head to look into cool green eyes. Jo thought about being snarky and decided it was too early to be all bitchy. There was also the not wanting to get shot in the head thing.

"One of the bastards jumped on my ribs. I think there might've been some internal damage," Jo huffed.

"Is that the one you sent flying?" Clint asked with a wide smile.

"No, that one shot me in the head. Only Natasha is allowed to do that." Jo gave Natasha her best smoldering look and was surprised when Natasha just winked in return.

"What'd ya do to the rib guy?" Darcy sleepily mumbled.

"I snapped his spine," Jo shrugged.

"Gnarly."

"I have brought the feast!" Thor walked back into the dining room with a line of robots behind him, and they were all carrying plates of pancakes. Thor took his seat after all of the plates had been distributed, and Jo eyed her giant stack with wide eyes. Her stack was twice the size of everyone else's. She leaned around the towering tower of pancakes to beam a smile at Thor.

"You're the best god ever! I shall sing your praises until my last dying breath!" Thor's booming laugh echoed in the room as they began to eat and, for a moment, everything was perfect.

**.xXx.**

Victoria Johnson ran a hand through her hair and angrily kicked her steel-toed boot against the concrete wall. Andy giggled as the mussed hair fell right back into a straight brown curtain to her friend's shoulders, and a quiet snort echoed in the cavernous room. Andy tried to stop giggling, she really did, but she couldn't help it. The laughter just kept coming, especially when her friend's cussing kept getting louder with every passing second.

"I'll be fine, Vic! Just…go get Jo. She'll fix this," Andy said between giggles.

"Are you out of your fuckin' mind?! You're in a cell!" Vic's husky voice yelled. Andy lightly stroked one of the metal bars and started giggling again.

"They're not gonna hurt me, Vic. Go get Jo." Andy's normally pale cheeks were flushed a pretty pink, and her dark brown hair was mussed from fingers running through it. Vic had already tried melting the bars, but she couldn't get it hot enough without hurting Andy. The fire probably wouldn't kill her, but it would still hurt. Vic normally doesn't have a problem with hurting people, but not Andy. She could never hurt Andy.

"What about Stark? Your stupid sister won't leave his side," Vic said and crossed her arms.

"Kole's with them."

"Kole's lazy as fuck."

"Then you can stay with him! Jo trusts you, Vicky!" Andy was overcome with giggles again, and she slumped against the bars of her holding cell.

"I don't like this," Vic growled.

"No choice. I can't…can't…no tele…kinesis…or…strength," Andy laughed out between giggle fits. Vic was starting to get a headache.

"Alright, have it your way. I'll go track down your fuckin' sister. Just, try not to die." Andy laughed so hard that she fell over, and Vic rolled her eyes as she finally left the building.

**.xXx.**

"JARVIS? What's our bullet list?" Tony asked once everyone was more or less done eating.

"List?" Darcy mumbled. She looked more awake than earlier, but she was taking turns resting on Kole and Jo's shoulders.

"First order of business is Dr. Banner's appearance and the Hulk's speech capabilities, sir."

"Ah, right." Everyone's eyes turned to look at Bruce, who tried not to fidget under the scrutiny. "Bruce?"

"Before I left, you said something to me," the doctor said as he looked at Tony.

"You are him, and he is you. If you're good, then so is he," Tony recited.

"Right, well, it got me thinking. I was waiting to board a plane when a man in a wheelchair stopped to speak to me, to point me in the right direction," Bruce said with a small smile directed to the end of the table.

"He means the Professor, right, Jo? That sounds like our Professor," Kole said with a fond smile. Bruce nodded at Kole, and Jo was nearly vibrating in her seat.

"He sent you to Dizzy, didn't he? Crazy bitch in the mountains?" Jo asked quickly. Bruce's eyes widened, but Jo could tell he was taking everything in stride.

"Rainforest now, actually. Do all telepaths know each other?" It was an innocent question, with no malicious intent, but Jo felt something as sharp as a knife twisting in her stomach.

"Dizzy helped train me, kinda. She did the best she could. Kooky ol' bat drove me up the walls," Jo laughed. Under the table, Tony was gripping her knee so hard that his knuckles were popping white.

"Yes, she is a little…eccentric. She helped me find a way to communicate with the Hulk, and we've reached an understanding. We listen to each other now, and I don't keep him locked away all the time." Tony looked fascinated, Clint and Natasha looked a little worried, and Thor grinned.

"We must spar soon! It has been too long since I've tested my might against the green one!" Bruce looked over at Thor, and the whole table seemed to freeze as Bruce's eyes bled green. His eyes were the only things that became discolored, and Jo took the tiniest peek. She could hear a deep rumbling laugh and Bruce's own softer voice locked inside one mind.

"Holy fuck, that's awesome," she whispered.

"Hulk would like that. He said smashing puny gods was better than rocks," Bruce said with a gentle smile.

"You two talk?" Natasha asked with a raised brow. Jo didn't know details, but she knew something happened between the assassin and Hulk during the whole Loki thing.

"He says that he's sorry. He thought you wanted to hurt us, but he knows that you mean no harm now." Bruce paused as his eyes flashed before focusing on Natasha once more. "No harm to us, at least."

"You're both here to stay, right?" Tony asked. Bruce nodded, which was a good enough answer for Tony. "What's next, JARVIS?"

"The new communication devices, sir."

"So that's what you've been yellin' at lately," Jo said as she reached down to grab Tony's hand. His fingers released their death grip on her knee and instead laced through her own. DUM-E came in with a tray, and Tony twisted around to grab it with his free hand and drop it on the table.

"Pretty standard stuff, this is just a sampler. Everyone can pick what they want, and we can decide together what the trigger word can be."

"Shawarma." Jo turned to look at Darcy and Kole, who looked just as confused as she felt. Thor was laughing, and Bruce was trading knowing grins with the two assassins. Definitely an Avengers thing then.

"You three good with that?"

"Yeah, whatever," Darcy yawned while Kole just nodded.

"The range on these is good enough that you can have them anywhere. I thought the ladies might prefer an earring, the guys a watch. I've got a watch and the suit." There was an array of jewelry on the tray, and everyone leaned forward to get a better look.

"A watch would be fine," Bruce said first.

"I would prefer an arm guard," Thor stated.

"Bracelet, yeah, I can do that," Tony muttered to himself. Jo could already feel his mind spinning the new possibilities.

"A ring would be good. A watch might get in the way," Clint threw out. Tony nodded absently and kept his mind going.

"I had my tragus pierced once, so something there would be alright."

"What Jo said," Kole said with a yawn of her own.

"Cartilage, ear," Darcy added.

"Diamonds," was all Natasha said.

"Got it! Anything else, JARVIS?"

"You wanted to discuss finding an in-house doctor, sir." Tony nodded and scrubbed his free hand over his face. Jo was worried that Tony wasn't sleeping enough, and she lightly squeezed his fingers.

"Bruce is the only one here with any medical training, but we can't count on him to patch us up every time we get hurt. I don't know about any of you, but I would rather get treated here than somewhere else. We should find someone that can be on-call, at any time. There's another building just behind here that I can turn into a few apartments, so they won't even have to put up with us full time. Any thoughts?"

"It would be safer for us to be treated somewhere secure," Natasha said thoughtfully.

"The royal family always has a personal healer." At Thor's statement, both Jo and Kole snapped to attention.

"Fred!" they yelled in unison.

"Who's Fred?" Darcy mumbled. Kole looked to Jo with a wide yawn, so Jo took it upon herself to explain.

"She's a mutant known as Healer. She's got X-ray vision, so she can literally see inside a person's body and make a diagnosis. Watching her work is pretty impressive, and she's a no-nonsense kind of person. She'll do a good job, but she doesn't trust any kind of government agency. She might work for you though, Tony. I can call her, if you want." Tony looked around at everyone to gauge their response before turning back to Jo.

"Call her. I'm going back up to the lab," Tony said. He briefly squeezed Jo's hand and stood up with his tray of jewelry.

"Would Hulk like a spar?" Thor asked.

"Yeah, I think he would like that," Bruce said and got to his feet as well.

"Bruce, when you get done, come up to the lab. We still need to put the finishing touches on your lab. It's a good thing HYDRA didn't blow that up. Jo, have JARVIS inform me about Healer. If anyone else needs me, take a number," Tony threw over his shoulder as he strolled off.

"I'm going to take a nap," Kole yawned.

"Take me with you!" Darcy called. Kole wrapped herself around Darcy's slumped form and literally floated them out of the room.

"Follow me, Dr. Banner!" Bruce gave one last wave and then followed the god out of the room.

"I'm going to get some rest." Jo noticed for the first time that Natasha was still in her SHIELD uniform, so she must've just gotten back from her latest mission. Jo looked across the table at Clint, who looked back at her with a smile.

"I've got a phone call to make."

"Make it quick. Our tango class starts in an hour."

**.xXx.**

Fredericka Alosi was sitting in her small kitchen and sipping at some herbal tea when her phone rang, and she narrowed her eyes at the name display. She kept away from all government officials and most mutants for a reason. Too many greedy idiots wanted to use her for less moral reasons when all she wanted to do was _help_ people. Unfortunately, she spent too much time hiding. This caller, Josephine Holbrook, was not one of her favorite people. The woman was a killer, with some remorse, but a killer all the same. Unlike most, the younger mutant respected her wishes and never asked anything of her that she wasn't willing to give.

"Why are you calling me, Josephine?" She took a light sip of her drink and waited. The silence told her that Josephine was trying to formulate a good response, instead of flying off the mouth like she normally did.

"I have a job offer from Tony Stark." Fred straightened up at that and brushed a lock of curly blonde hair out of her dark green eyes.

"Since when do you work for Stark?"

"He's an asshole, but he's one of the good guys."

"I'm sure the families of the people his weapons killed think otherwise."

"We can't all be defined by our past lives, can we, Fred?" There was a hint of steel under her words, and the sound made Fred smile. Jo cared about the man, cared about him enough to bring up Fred's own shameful past.

"What kind of job?" she asked as she leaned back in her chair.

"Come live next to the Avengers Mansion and patch up whatever hero gets his ass kicked. Tony will pay for everything, and you'll have your own lab to work in. No funny business, Fred. We just want an on-call doctor, in-house, that we can trust."

"All you want is a doctor? Nothing else?" Fred could use the money, and no one said she couldn't have other jobs on the side.

"Nothin' else."

"Have Stark pull up a contract. My only condition is that I can have other jobs, as long as they don't interfere with the primary. I'll go over everything when I get there."

"You won't regret this, Fred," Jo said with a relieved sigh.

"Jo! Tango! Thirty minutes!" Fred heard over the phone. It was a man's voice. Was Jo involved with someone?

"That remains to be seen. I'll see you in three days." Fred hung up without another word and looked around her small home. She had a lot of work to do in the next few days.

**.xXx.**

"Excuse me, miss? Would you mind turning the volume up?" The waitress paused for a moment to look at him, and Steve tried to give her his nicest smile. It must've worked, because the young girl hurried over to the mounted television and raised the volume. Steven reminded himself to give the girl an extra-large tip before giving his full attention to the wide screen.

"_There has yet to be any word on the attack that occurred at Tony Stark's newly acquired home. There were several reports of rapid gunfire and low flying helicopters, but no one has yet to be taken into custody and Tony Stark is refusing to give a statement about the disturbance."_

There was a picture behind the blonde anchorwoman's head of said home, and Steve's mind boggled at the sight of the large home. Tony had invited him to come stay, along with the others. Steve promised to think about it, and Tony had given him his space since that last phone call. Was Tony living there alone? Had he been prepared for an attack? Was anyone hurt? Maybe he should go check in, just to make sure that everything was okay. Steve blindly reached into his wallet and laid down a bill before rushing out of the small café to his bike. He had somewhere to be.

Inside the café, the young waitress nearly fainted when she saw the one hundred dollar bill sitting on the immaculate table. A hottie that knew how to clean up after himself, was super nice, and dropped a Benjamin like it was nothing? Best customer ever.

* * *

**Finis: **First off, lots of new people! Bruce/Hulk is in the story now, Steve got a little cameo at the end, something is going down with Andy and her friend Vic, and there's going to be a new doctor in the house! I know it might seem a little confusing, but it will all come together. As for the X-Men timeline, I'm borrowing stuff from the movies and the comics. In this, mutants are like an open secret. People know they exist but no one talks about it, and all of the mutants are currently "underground" and staying out of the public eye since an incident in San Francisco. Professor X definitely survived, because I love the Professor. I'll go more into them later.

Viper…what to say about Viper? Right now, she's running the show with HYDRA. I'm not using the same actress from "The Wolverine" as a base for her character, but I did keep the Dr. Green from that movie. It was too good to pass up. Viper will be back, mostly because she hates Kole and isn't a big fan of the new superhero club.

I think that's all for now. Thank you to everyone who's taken the time to read! It means a lot, and I hope you continue reading!


	7. The Superfreaks

**TIB: **I really enjoyed writing this chapter, probably a little too much. It's a weird balance between humor and angst, so I hope everyone likes it!

**Plague's Vengeance,** you are seriously amazing! I thought it would be interesting if Hulk came into the story before Bruce did, so I'm glad you liked that part! And thank you so much for the reviews on the side stories! **Satu-Ryuu,**I read your review at a ridiculous time of the morning and actually squealed. I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint in any way. **luzi blackbird,** Bruce and Steve are both in this chapter! I love Tony and Jo's friendship. Their friendship is the whole foundation of this story. And I definitely plan to keep updating! **crazy1person2you3been4warned,** thank you so much for the review!

* * *

"_Why do I fight? Well, depends on the situation, doesn't it?"  
__**Jo Holbrook**_

**.xXx.**

**Chapter Seven  
****The Superfreaks**

* * *

**July 20, 2014**

Tony and Bruce were on the roof, where construction was now finished with walling in Bruce's new lab. The elevator in Bruce's room now went up as well as straight down to the basement; Bruce tried to argue against having an elevator at all since there was one just a few steps from his bedroom door, but it was impossible to win an argument with Tony Stark. The two were setting up lab equipment when the alarm went off, and they both rushed to the elevator that would take them to the ground floor. All JARVIS knew was that it a single person at the front door.

"What are we looking at, JARVIS?" Tony asked as they headed down.

"Unsure, sir. I am currently running facial features through secure servers," JARVIS said as they stepped off the elevator. Thor, Darcy, and Kole came out of the dining room as Tony and Bruce walked out into the foyer. Natasha was hurrying down the stairs, dressed in a pair of shorts and a tight tee shirt. Even Thor was in his workout clothes.

"Jo and Clint?" Tony asked.

"Tango class," Natasha said with an impressive eye roll.

"Like ballroom dancing wasn't good enough?" Tony muttered. The jewelry was still an ongoing process, but he wasn't sleeping now until they were done.

"I know you assholes are in there! Let me the fuck in or I'll burn the whole fuckin' thing down! You hearin' me, Stark! I got business with that dumbass bodyguard of yours!" The voice was nearly bordering on Jo levels of huskiness, but she sounded a lot more pissed off than Jo.

"Open the door, JARVIS," Kole said quietly.

"Sir?"

"She's safe, Tony," Natasha added.

"Go ahead, JARVIS." The door swung open, and the woman that stormed in was like a whirlwind of rage. Her brown hair was straight and a golden brown color, and her five-seven form was toned with sleek muscle and nicely tanned. Her worn denim jeans were tucked into a pair of heavy black boots, and her black tank top had a bar logo printed on it. A pair of Aviators covered her eyes, but Tony could still feel her glare as she looked around at everyone.

"Kole, Natasha, superfreaks. Where's Jo?" Her voice had even more of an edge to it once she was inside, and Tony bristled at her tone.

"Vic, always a pleasure. What brings you here?" Natasha asked. Tony could see how tense Natasha was out of the corner of his eye, and the normally relaxed Kole had her arms crossed over her chest and was standing protectively in front of Darcy.

"Not you, Romanoff. Where's Jo?"

"She's not here, powderpuff. Whatever you want, you can get from us," Tony said and took another step forward. The girl dipped her chin so that her dark sunglasses slipped down her nose, and a pair of dark red eyes glared at him while she smiled.

"Vic, no!" Tony heard Kole's shout around the same time the bottom of his feet started getting hot, and he was looking back at the strange woman when a hand grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. Jo's fist connected with the woman's jaw, but the grip on the neck of her shirt kept her from moving far. Vic's knees buckled as Jo hit her again, and the only thing holding her up was Jo's hand on the thin material of her shirt.

"If you _ever_ pull somethin' like that again, Vic, I'll tear you apart. Your little bonfires won't be able to kill me before I can rip your fuckin' head off, got it?" Tony thought he'd seen Jo angry, once or twice, but he'd never seen her like this. She was nose to nose with the other woman and full out snarling, but the other woman just smiled.

"Talk big all ya want, kid but we both know you could never take me on and win. Now how 'bout you stop dustin' Stark's balls and go get Andy out of your fuckin' mess?" No one heard Tony's squawk, which was probably a good thing. It wasn't the manliest of sounds.

"What mess?"

"A bunch of Scottish assholes nabbed her, drugged her, and locked her in a fuckin' cage. No telekinesis, no super strength. The fuckers ain't lettin' her out until you go fight for her."

"Is she talking about Roderick and Camden?" Clint asked as he walked up to the two.

"Yeah, the Sterling brothers. Up for a roadtrip?" Jo was still holding onto Vic's shirt, but Vic was standing at her full height again so that she was eye-to-eye with Jo.

"Maybe we can try out our new moves," Clint grinned.

"I can't leave Tony behind." Jo pushed Vic away from her, and Tony caught his bodyguard's eyes.

"I told Andy I'd watch after your keeper. That is, if Stark will let his little bitch off her leash." Dark brown eyes looked over her should at him, and Tony felt his blood pressure rising.

"You'll cause more trouble with the Sterlings, so you're better off anywhere but there. The others can keep everything safe, but I don't think Tony should let you stay here. You're not very good at makin' friends, are ya, Vic?" The woman smoothed her shirt down and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Don't need any. Go get Andy, or I'll burn ya from the inside out." Tony watched the woman saunter out the door, along with everyone else.

"What. The actual fuck. Was that?" Tony asked as the front door closed.

"That was my sister's psychotic best friend; a pyro mutant with severe moral issues. I really do need to go get Andy. The Sterlings won't hurt her, they're not like that, but Vic might go on a killing spree if I don't go get her. Clint, you in?"

"Can't let you visit the twins without me," Clint said and started moving up the stairs.

"Natasha, if she comes back, shoot her," Jo said as she followed Clint up the stairs.

"Not a problem." Tony watched as the room slowly emptied, until he was left with his fellow scientist.

"Uh, Tony?" Bruce asked quietly.

"What just happened?" Tony mumbled the question to himself more than anything, because he was actually feeling confused. Seriously, what just happened?

"I think your shoes melted," Bruce pointed out. A quick look down at his feet showed that Bruce was absolutely right, and Tony groaned.

"I just bought these."

**.xXx.**

"Hey, JARVIS? Can you do me a favor?" Jo was already dressed in some worn out skinny jeans and an old tee shirt with a small bag of clothes on her back, and she knew that she needed to go. Like yesterday.

"How can I assist you today, Miss Jo?" Jo twisted her hair up on top of her head and took a look around her room. The room that Tony made for her. Shit, this was all so fucked up. What was Andy doing near the Scottish underground anyway?

"If Tony gets into any kind of trouble, self-inflicted or not, let me know? Maybe alert the Doc too," Jo said quietly. Jo knew that Tony was okay, if a little stressed, but that didn't stop her from worrying. As for Bruce, Jo still hasn't found the time to talk to him and thank him in person for helping her with the Operation Sober Stark mishaps.

"I will, Miss Jo, unless Master Stark gives me orders otherwise. Is there anything else before your departure?"

"Can you give Tony a message? But with my voice?"

"Yes, Miss Jo, I am perfectly capable of recording your message." Jo grinned at JARVIS's sassy tone and gave her quick message before finding Clint.

**.xXx.**

Steve was looking down at his phone and trying to remember just how to work it when someone knocked into his shoulder. The phone fell to the sidewalk, but the woman that knocked into him didn't even both to turn around.

"Watch it, asshole!" she yelled and kept on going. Steve caught a flash of her golden brown hair and heavy boots before she turned a corner, and he bent down to pick up his phone. The screen was black and refused to come back on, so Steve just stuffed it back in his pocket and started walking again. How hard could it be to find Tony Stark's home anyway?

**.xXx.**

"I have a message for you, sir." Tony looked around his empty lab and then swiped a hand across his eyes. He'd been working with very small parts for the better part of an hour and waiting for Jo to come say goodbye, and all he has to show for it is a crooked spine and gritty eyes.

"What is it?" Tony was prepared for anything, from psychotic pyromaniacs to bomb tossing HYDRA agents. He was only marginally prepared to hear Jo's voice in the place of JARVIS's.

"_Hiya, boss. I asked JARVIS to give you this once me and Clint were out of the country, so we're already a quarter of the way to being done with this mission. Look, I'm sorry about Vic, okay? She's not the nicest person, but she's normally not that bad. If Vic is capable of lovin' anyone, it's Andy. Vic's response to any emotion is rage, so her little display earlier just means that she's really upset. I'm gonna make this right, Tony, and I'll be home soon."_

"Home, huh?" Tony muttered to himself. Jo would use JARVIS to leave him a personal little message, but not until she was out of the country. "JARVIS, the usual order of pizza. Assemble everyone in the dining room when it gets here."

"Right away, sir." Twenty minutes later, Tony was dropping pizza boxes and what looked like an entire case of water bottles on the table. Natasha reached the dining room first, and Tony didn't say anything as she smoothly moved to stand on the table before dropping down to sit cross-legged on top of it. Clearly, the chairs weren't always good enough for the assassin.

"That was most impressive, Bruce! Hulk grows more formidable with each spar!" Thor was saying as he walked into the room with Bruce at his side. They each moved to the far side of the table and took a seat next to each other. So Hulk and Thor had been sparring again. Hopefully the gym was still in one identifiable piece.

"Mmm, pizza! Tony, dude, how'd you know I was starving?" Darcy asked as she strolled in. She sat down across from Thor and close to Natasha. Since Tony was at the head of the table and Natasha was sitting on the table, the only logical seat left was between Tony and Darcy.

"Can we run away and get married? Because you are my actual favorite," Kole sighed out as she floated into the room. She kept falling asleep all over the place, and she had a tendency to float up into the air whenever she took a nap. So seeing her lazily drifting around the mansion was becoming a normal occurrence.

"What do I get out of it?" he asked as Kole righted herself and gently touched down in her chair. Big dark gray eyes peered up at him, and her short pink hair looked particularly fluffy today.

"I'm adorable." Tony had to give her that one, and he lightly knocked a finger under her chin as he took his seat.

"I don't do adorable." Kole pouted while Darcy laughed around a bite of pizza, and the other three managed a smile between bites. Thor and Bruce were tossing back pizza like all the makers were going out of business, so Tony now understood why they got a couple of pizzas to themselves.

"Jo and Clint are officially out of the country to go do…whatever it is that needs to be done. Anyone feel like clearing that up?" Tony asked once everyone seemed to slow down on the munching.

"It sounded like a hostage situation, but Jo and Clint didn't seem particularly worried," Bruce started.

"They did a job together in Scotland a few years ago, underground fight ring that was forcing kids to fight off debts. A lot of the kids were getting killed, and Jo was the perfect candidate for a fighting ring. Clint was her partner. They took out the ring and made a few friends along the way. The Sterling brothers fight fair, enough, and even helped with the takedown. They won't hurt an innocent; it's not their style," Natasha explained.

"Yet they still have Jo's sister?" Thor asked.

"They probably drugged her to suppress her mutant powers, but the drugs won't have any lasting effects on Andy. She's like Jo." Natasha shrugged and took another bite of pizza.

"And the mutant that melted my new pair of shoes to the floor?" The shoes were still there actually. He needed to get a bot on that ASAP. Kole shifted in her seat and ran her thin fingers through her already mussed hair.

"Victoria Johnson, Vic. She's a few years older than me, but we were raised together. Well, we were after the Professor found her," Kole whispered.

"Was she an orphan too?" Darcy asked.

"Not exactly," was Kole's secretive answer.

"Explanation please," Tony said with a tight smile. Kole lightly bit her bottom lip and wouldn't meet his eyes, so it was Natasha that answered.

"I only know what SHIELD has on her, but I think it might be enough to explain some of what went wrong with her." Kole's hand tightened into a fist, but she didn't say anything. "Vic was born in a facility that specialized in mutant testing, completely under the radar at the time. Her mother died in child birth, no father listed. She was raised in that facility until she was five years old. In the SHIELD files, it says that Professor X heard rumors of the facility and went to investigate. When he got there, the whole place was burned to the ground, and Vic was left sitting in the smoldering remains. It is unknown how many lives were lost, and that includes the other children that were there."

"Vic didn't mean to hurt anyone. She doesn't talk about it, no one wants to talk about that kind of stuff, but they _hurt_ her. It was a testing facility, and Vic couldn't control herself when she was that small," Kole defended quickly.

"So why is she such a bitch?" The woman came into his house, insulted his…Jo, and was probably trying to set him on fire when Jo stormed in.

"Because she thinks she's a monster," Bruce said quietly. His smile was shaky when everyone turned to look at him, but he didn't offer any more explanation than that. He didn't really need to.

"Makes sense. She grew up knowing what she did, and I bet a few people never let her forget it," Darcy said quietly.

"No, some of them were very cruel. Once, the other kids hid burned baby dolls in her bedroom. It was _awful_." Kole looked like she was on the verge of tears, and Tony felt a smidge of something that felt like sympathy for little Vic. Not the adult one. That one still owed him some shoes. And a piece of floor.

"Surely such actions did not go unpunished?" Thor asked after catching Kole's eyes. Surprisingly, the almost weepy woman smiled.

"No. It happened when Vic was thirteen, right after Andy and Jo came to the school. When Andy found out, she went all telekinetic and threw them all around the house. It was really scary at the time, and one of the guys even cried. Vic and Andy have been close ever since; I'm sure that's the only reason Vic was so…"

"Bitchy?" Tony finished.

"We cannot fault the fire woman for being upset over a loved one. Would we not do the same?" Everyone looked at Thor in complete silence, and Tony felt slightly chastised. By _Thor_.

"I'd set Tony Stark on fire to defend your honor, buddy." And just like that, with Darcy's light-hearted remark, the serious tension in the room was dissolved. They were all still laughing when JARVIS caught Tony's attention, and Tony wiped a single tear from the corner of his eye as he waited to see what was happening now.

"Captain Rogers has arrived, sir."

**.xXx.**

"I don't like this plan," the tall woman said with a scowl.

"Would you rather we just shoot at them?" the second woman said with a perfect smile.

"The two of you are only good for bickering," a quiet voice growled. His face was cloaked in the shadows, but that didn't stop the two women from glaring at him.

"It's embarrassing," a different male voice croaked. A heavy set of footsteps sounded on the floor, and all four gathered in the room stood a little straighter. They waited as the man who was like a leader walked into the room to see what the final word would be.

"The plan takes time and will be slow, but we can be patient. They are already moving into position, and we barely even have to lift a finger. For now."

**.xXx.**

"You've been busy," was all Steve said when everyone finally stopped talking. His mind was spinning with all of the new information and trying to categorize everything. He already knew about the existence of mutants, he'd met one back in his Army days with abilities very similar to Jo's, so that was one thing he wasn't confused about. The mutant in the room, however, had an ability he'd never seen before. The flying wasn't so unusual, not after fighting alongside Iron Man and the God of Thunder, but the invisibility was new. Then there were HYDRA agents, women that could set fires with their minds, and just so much information.

"So, you staying?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, Cap, we could use the extra muscle," the human girl, Darcy, said with a little twinkle in her eye.

"A little extra protection would be nice," the mutant girl, Kole, said with a matching twinkle.

"You have superpowers!" Tony pointed out.

"I'm not a fighter," Kole stated simply.

"There's no pressure, Steve. We would all very much like it if you stayed," Bruce started.

"But we understand if you would prefer to have some time to yourself," Natasha finished. Hmm, he could go back on the road and keep living in small rooms that continuously made him feel out of place. He could keep trying to make conversations with strangers as he kept himself isolated, or he could move into Tony Stark's mansion. He could live with geniuses, assassins, mutants, humans, gods…he could live with people who made him feel less alone the moment he walked in the door.

"I'd like to stay, if there's still room for me," Steve said with a smile aimed at Tony. He and Tony didn't see eye-to-eye much during the Battle of Manhattan, but he was hoping that maybe they could be civil to one another now.

"Are you kiddin'?" Darcy snorted.

"Tony designed your room when he did ours," Natasha shrugged.

"Really?"

"No, puppy eyes, Rogers. You're a founding member, so you got a room," Tony said as he stood up.

"Jo's not a founding member," Kole pointed out as she suddenly lifted into the air. Steve nearly jumped out of his skin when he turned to look at her to see her lying horizontal in the air a little above his eye-level.

"Jo is a founding member's bodyguard, so she gets special privileges." Kole hummed at his response and floated out of the room, and Steve didn't look away from the sight of her drifting through the air on her back until a large hand clapped against his shoulder.

"Once you are settled, you should come visit the training facilities. They are most adequate for a proper spar," Thor grinned. Bruce chuckled quietly beside him, and Steve ran a hand over his hair. He'd cut it a little shorter than normal, and he was still getting used to the new length.

"Yeah, a spar sounds like fun." Bruce outright laughed at that, and Steve let Thor steer him from the room with a confused smile on his face but with no regrets about his decision.

**July 21, 2014**

"Roderick! Camden! Where are ya, ya bastards?!"

"Whit did ya ca' me?" Jo locked her legs and crossed her arms, and she felt Clint's bicep pressing against her own. Two pairs of ice blue eyes glared down at them from a towering height of six-five, but Jo didn't back down. Clint was perfect calm beside her, which helped Jo keep her calm.

"You heard me, Cammy. Where's my sister?"

"We hae th' wee lassie, safe 'n' sound," Camden said. The only way to tell them apart was by the scar that cut through Roderick's left eyebrow because the rest of them was identical. Both toweringly tall, stacked, and with dark brown hair and ice blue eyes.

"Hae ye come tae rammy fur her?" Roderick asked with a teasing grin.

"You know damn well that I've come all the way out here to fight your asses! Now, how about you go get my sister so that I can make sure you didn't OD her or somethin'."

"She's braw. We hae nae forgo' yer lest visit, _tank_."

"Nor haes Rory," Roderick said with a pointed look at Clint. Oh yeah, during the last visit, Jo took on the Sterling twins while Clint went head-to-head with their bodyguard. Rory was even bigger than the two men he'd give his life to protect, and Jo had laughed with the twins while Clint wiped the floor with the big guy.

"I'm guessing you've got everything set up for me?" Jo finally asked. They worked the underground, so they probably knew the moment she and Clint touched down.

"Richt this wey," Camden said with a sweep of his arm. Jo looked at Clint, Clint looked at Jo, and they were both grinning as they walked behind the twins.

**.xXx.**

"There is someone at the door, sir." Bruce didn't even twitch when Tony tossed down the hunk of metal he was working on or when he started shouting about a little thing called privacy.

"Who is it this time?!" Tony snapped.

"Doctor Fredericka Alosi. Is this how you treat all of your guests, Stark?" The voice was crisp and right to the point, and Bruce couldn't stop his smile as Tony practically deflated before his eyes.

"I forgot you were coming today. Jo was supposed to remind me. JARVIS, let her in. Bruce, come on." Tony strolled out of his lab, and Bruce blinked before following after him. The doctor that Jo had called was standing in the foyer when they reached the stairs, and she lifted dark green eyes to watch their progress. Her curly blonde hair was free around her shoulders, her tight brown pants were tucked into darker brown boots, her white button-up was tucked into the pants, and her thumbs were hooked around bright red suspenders.

"Where is Josephine, Stark?" The woman was definitely no-nonsense, just like Jo said.

"Out on a retrieval mission," Tony said as he stopped halfway down the stairs. Bruce stopped a step above him and decided not to question why they were stopped only halfway down a staircase. Knowing Tony, it was some kind of grand entrance thing.

"Andy got kidnapped so Jo had to go get her before Vic does something she'll regret." Bruce tipped his head back to watch Kole drift overhead, and he heard the doctor's boots squeak lightly on the tiled floor.

"It is good to see you again as well, Koletta." Kole lazily twisted from her back to her stomach, and Bruce caught a flash of her pale stomach as she gazed downwards.

"Can't you just call me Kole?" The normally peaceful woman sounded almost whiny, which was a new tone.

"You were given that name for a reason. To butcher it in such a way is dishonorable. Stark, where's my contract?"

"My office is upstairs. Bruce?" Tony was looking at him now, but there was no way that Bruce was going to sit an office and listen to contract negotiations.

"I'm just going to…um…lunch," Bruce said and started to move around Tony. His fellow scientist glared at him with eyes that called him a traitor, and Bruce gave him a small smile before hurrying down the staircase. He met Fred's dark eyes as they passed one another, and he was shocked at the heat in them. The look barely lasted for a second before they headed their separate ways, and Bruce metaphorically shook his head as he walked towards the kitchen.

"Don't mind Fred. She's a bit of a fan girl, Bruce." Kole was floating on her stomach over his head, and she was smiling softly when he glanced up at her.

"Over me?"

"She's a doctor, you're the fourth smartest man in the world; it's not rocket science, Bruce. It also helps that you're adorable." Kole's smile was teasing now, and Bruce smiled up at her while covering a piece of bread with peanut butter.

"I'll leave the adorable title to you, Koletta."

**.xXx.**

"Come on, Jo! You can kick that guy's ass!" Jo watched her blood streak through the air as she tossed her head back and glared over at her big sister. The still very stoned brunette had a front row seat, and Clint had one arm slung around her shoulders to keep her steady. The homemade boxing ring was just a painted square on the concrete floor, but it still kept the fighters in.

"I know! It's the other one I'm worried about!" Right on cue, a fist connected with the center of her spine and threw her forward. Her body crashed into Roderick's, and she was quick to throw an uppercut into his jaw. She used his body to push herself back, and she hit her knees before Camden could land another hit on exposed back.

"Kick his ass, Josie!" Clint yelled.

"Go Jo!" Great, not only was she fighting the wonder twins but now she had giggling cheerleaders too? Could this get any worse? A meaty hand wrapped around her ankle and pulled, and Jo was kicking out before her head collided against the concrete floor. And now she had a migraine.

"Is that the best you got?!" She jumped back into the fight with a grin and said to hell with everything else. She was gonna have some fun.

**.xXx.**

"You know, I almost didn't come here," Darcy mumbled.

"Me too," Kole mumbled back.

"I'm so glad we changed our minds."

"Me too." The two women were sitting on the floor in the gym, with their backs pressed against a far wall and their legs stretched out in front of them. In one corner of the room, Tony and Natasha were lightly sparring. On the other side, Thor and Steve were all-out sparring. In center of the room, like the calm eye of a hurricane, was Bruce sitting cross-legged on the floor while he meditated.

"Is this what you two do for fun?" Fred asked as she lowered herself to the floor. Darcy realized somewhere in the back of her mind that she was flanked by mutants, but she didn't really care. There were more important happenings going on.

"Watch gorgeous half naked people glisten as they hone their skills?" Kole asked.

"Oh, _hell yeah_," Darcy answered even though an answer wasn't needed. Their laser-like focus was answer enough. Natasha was in shorty shorts and a skin tight tank, so all of her flawless curves were on display. Tony was only wearing a pair of loose pants, and it was hard to tell that just a few short months ago he was nearly starving himself. As for Thor and Tony, they were both stripped down to basketball shorts and were fighting with their bare fists. Bruce, who looked very zen amongst the chaos, had even opted to go shirtless.

"Hmm, I can see the appeal." Fred's eyes were darting all over the place as she catalogued everyone's body, from Tony's arc reactor to the genetic mutations. Their biology was absolutely fascinating, and Darcy and Kole definitely agreed.

"Is it just me or is it hot in here?" Everyone in the room came to a stop, and Bruce's eyes slowly opened to reveal bright green.

"Vic?" Kole hadn't bothered to get to her feet, and Natasha had pulled a gun from somewhere and now had the barrel pointed at Vic's head. The fiery brunette raised her hands in the air as a show of peace and looked straight at Tony.

"I got a call from Jo; Andy's free. I'm guessin' she didn't call you?" Vic had her sunglasses pushed on top of her head, and the smile that curved her lips lit up her eyes. Eyes that were thankfully still brown instead of bleeding red.

"I haven't heard from her," Tony admitted.

"Figures. The dumbass sounded hammered, so I guess they're celebratin' now."

"Why are you here?" No snappy comeback, no demeaning nickname…Tony was actually serious.

"I'm only gonna say this once, Stark, so listen closely. I'm sorry about earlier. This is your home, and I shouldn't have come at ya the way I did."

"Vic, you apologized," Kole breathed out.

"It won't happen again," Vic said as she slipped her glasses back down.

"I didn't know you could feel any remorse." Vic dipped her chin to look down at the doctor, and Darcy watched the exchange with calm eyes. Her life was so weird these days.

"Right back at ya, Doc."

"I'm going to ask Andy to stay, for Jo. Are you two a package deal?"

"You bet your regularly dusted balls we are. You want Andy, you get me," Vic said and rolled her shoulders with a smirk.

"Why the obsession with my balls?"

"Just an interest in Jo's sexual exploits."

"Thought you didn't like her?" By this point, everyone in the room was taking turns looking at Tony and Vic as they waited to see who would crack first.

"She's Andy's little sister." For Vic, that was explanation enough.

"Jo hasn't been anywhere near my balls." It was a small lie for a good cause.

"Just wanna make sure she stays away from the super balls."

"Whose super balls has she been around?"

"Johnny Storm," was the first name to pop into Vic's head and out of her mouth. The men looked confused while the women laughed, or chuckled once in Natasha and Fred's case.

"Yeah, but who hasn't slept with Johnny? I'm not even super, and I have," Darcy said between laughs.

"Andy hasn't," Vic pointed out.

"But she did sleep with Richards," Fred reasoned.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that. It only lasted all of a week," Kole clarified.

"What just happened?" Tony asked as he looked around.

"War stories," was Natasha's answer.

"Lady Vic! Would you care to join us in a spar?" Vic's grin was all teeth, and Darcy laughed at the sound of Kole's loud gulp.

"It seems Jo might have been right. Maybe I won't regret this."

"Just look at the hunky superheroes and the sexy assassins! Who could regret living with that?" Darcy got an "Amen!" from Kole, and the gym gazing carried on.

**.xXx.**

"Look, Jo! I'm a bird!" Andy yelled before jumping off the rafters overhead. Rory, a giant redhead with a black eye and missing tooth from his earlier fight with Clint, caught her before she hit the ground and spun her around. Jo couldn't remember ever seeing her sister in such a state. Her wavy brown hair was wild around her, her dark hazel eyes were light with laughter, her pale and freckled cheeks were flushed pink, and her whole body was in continuous motion.

"Show 'im how we do it in New Orleans!" Jo called. Andy's answering grin showed her dimples, and Jo's big sister let out a loud whoop before climbing up the massive bodyguard's body. Jo laughed her way over to a corner where it was a little bit quieter, but the loud sound of music echoed throughout the building. Oh well, it made celebrating that much easier.

"How may I help you tonight, Miss Jo?"

"JARVIS! Is Tony still up?"

"He has retired for the evening. Doctor Banner, however, is still awake."

"Awesome! Can you patch me through, buddy?" There was a quiet click, and Jo hummed to herself as she jumped up onto a barrel. Her back was propped against the wall, and she had a perfect view of all the dancers. Who knew such big guys could get down?

"Um, hello?"

"Hiya, Doc! What's doin'?" Jo relaxed as Bruce relayed the day's events, and she kept quiet except for a few hums here and there. Natasha had made Tony exercise like Jo had nicely asked her to do, Fred showed up to sign her contract and was comfortably settled in the apartments behind the mansion, and Vic had shown up to apologize. Jo nearly fell off her barrel at that last one but managed to right herself before tumbling off.

"That's everything on this end. How are things there? It sounds very…loud." Jo smiled and brought one leg up so she could rest her cheek on her knee.

"I beat Roderick, but Camden kicked my ass. Then Clint won a fight against their bodyguard. Not like real fighting. It was like sparring but with a clear winner. Now we're celebratin'. Andy's still all drugged up, and the Sterling bros have their own liquor. Clint and I had a barrel drinking contest. I think I won."

"You think?"

"I drank more, but I also fell off the barrel. I'm a little fuzzy on the rules," Jo said with a throaty laugh.

"Maybe you two can call a tie?"

"That sounds fair. You're the best, Doc."

"And you are very drunk," Bruce said with a quiet laugh of his own.

"Hey, Doc?" Jo's voice was quieter now, but Bruce could still hear her easily. He was alone in his lab where the noise level was practically nonexistent.

"Yes, Jo?"

"I'm sorry I've been avoidin' ya, it's not very nice of me. I didn't really mean to. There was healin' to do and then me 'n' Clint got into that advanced tango class, and now I'm here. I've been meanin' to talk to ya, but I think I'm scared." She sounded so miserable, and her already slow drawl was slurred out in a whisper.

"Hulk is—"

"Don't be stupid, Doc, I'm not scared of Hulk. I like him. I'd like a spar one day, if that's cool with him. I think I'm scared of _you._"

"Me? Why me?" Jo tried to organize her thoughts, but her head felt so fuzzy. She scratched a hand through her hair and lightly bit the inside of her cheek as she tried to explain.

"I panicked, with Tony. I don't do panic, ever, so no one's ever…I mean, Tony doesn't remember and you weren't actually there, but you were there. You heard me freakin' the fuck out, and the mind thing. The _mind_ thing, Doc."

"What about the mind thing?" Jo was starting to sound a little panicked now, but Bruce had to ask. He couldn't remember anyone ever being afraid of _him_, just what he could turn into.

"I hate the telepathy, Doc. I hate it so fuckin' much, it drives me crazy. I didn't want to learn how to use it, I still don't most days. I hate talkin' about it, I hate bein' asked about it…I just hate it, okay? But I use it on Tony all the time, normally with his insistence, but Tony doesn't scare me. He's pretty fucked up too, so it's easier with him. But you, Doc…I told you how it worked, how it felt, and you even fuckin' helped with it. Helped me do somethin' new and _more_. I don't know if I went along with it for Tony or just because you were talkin' to me, but it scared the shit outta me. I'm scared of it, Doc."

"You don't have to be scared of it, Jo, or me. I'd never ask you to do something you weren't comfortable with, and I, uh, I'm a little scared of you too. We all have things that we'd like to keep buried, right?" There was a quiet laugh at the end, but Jo could hear the darkness even in her shitfaced state.

"Bruce, I would never—"

"No, I know that, I know. I think what I'm trying to say is that we're all a little scared, but we're still better off together. Aren't we?" Jo lifted her face up and let her leg dangle over the edge again. For the moment, things in her world made sense again. Except for the part where her big sister was doing the chicken dance with an underground Scottish crime syndicate. That part was still a little off.

"Yeah, we are. You really are a super genius, Doc." His laughter was lighter this time, and the sound made Jo so happy that she swayed dangerously on her barrel. It definitely wasn't from that other barrel of homemade Scottish ale.

"Jo! Come dance with me!" Jo tipped her head to find the source of the voice, and she carefully maneuvered herself to stand on top of the barrel so she could point a menacing finger at the archer.

"No chandelier tangoing without me!"

"You can tango on a chandelier?"

"Not alone." Bruce's snort of laughter carried through the phone, and Jo raised a different finger as Clint began dancing by himself. Come to think of it, why was there a chandelier here? The place looked like a warehouse.

"Go tango on a chandelier before Clint hurts himself," Bruce said with another low chuckle.

"His face already looks like hamburger meat, it can't get much worse. Still, when will I get another chance to do a chandelier tango? We'll head out in the mornin', and, Bruce?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks, for everythin'. I'll hate myself a little in the mornin' for bein' such a whiner, but I'm glad we had this talk. G'night, Doc!"

* * *

**Finis: **Whew! So, this was another fast-paced chapter with a few new people and some fleshing out of previously mentioned characters. It might seem fast past faced, but this chapter only covers two days in story-time. Vic and Fred are actually in the story now, Andy is on the way, and Steve has made it to the mansion! The leader would come last, right? Also, there was a brief glimpse of the villains. Sorry for the secrecy, but they're _villains_. Although, if anyone would like to guess at who they are, I'd love to hear the ideas!

A big apology about the Scottish accents. I probably did that absolutely horribly, but I like writing things (like speech patterns) how they sound sometimes. I thought the different spelling might set the scene a little better.

The Johnny Storm and Richards that were mentioned are from Fantastic Four; Johnny Storm was also played by Chris Evans, which I will always find endlessly amusing. I'm still not sure if the Fantastic Four will make an actual appearance in this story, but it's a possibility since I love them too. That's all for now. Keep an eye out for the next chapter!


	8. Emotional Rollercoaster

**TIB: **To start with, I want to say thank you to everyone who's read so far! I promise to reply to the comments next time. I'd reply to them now, but it's nearly noon and I didn't sleep last night. I did write this chapter though, while watching Beauty and the Beast & Shrek, so blame all the weirdness on that. Also, a huge thank you to anyone who's added this to their favorite's list or followed it. I'd send you all messages to say thank you, but I think that would be creepy.

Now, as for the actual story, this chapter is a little long but it's a lead-up. It has come to my attention that some of the OCs are a bit random and flat, along with a lack of romance, so I've thought up a way to fix that. The next nine chapters are going to take place over the same time period, roughly around a month, but they will all be from different pairs' POV. So, nine different little stories all happening simultaneously. It'll give me a chance to isolate everyone and flesh them out, so that everyone's not all crowded up and just taking up space.

This Author's Note will make more sense after reading, I promise. See you in the Ending Note!

* * *

"_Working for Tony Stark is not gonna end well. The guy's an asshole, Fury. You'll be lucky if I last a week."  
__**Jo after being asked to become Stark's bodyguard**_

**.xXx.**

**Chapter Eight  
****Emotional Rollercoaster**

* * *

**July 22, 2014**

"Oh, _my head_. Shouldn't it have stopped by now?" Andy groaned.

"What? Did you think you could stay high for the better part of a week and not have a few side effects?" Jo was trying not to grin, she really was, but she was failing. Her sister, Little Missy Goody Two Shoes, was _hungover_.

"I didn't ask to be drugged, and why does Clint have a chicken?" The three were walking down a sidewalk, getting closer to the mansion with every step, and people were giving them a wide berth. It might've been because Jo and Clint were still in their blood-stained clothes, it might've been because Clint's face was one giant bruise, or it might've been because Andy looked like a ghost getting ready to hurl. Or maybe it was the calm chicken riding on Clint's shoulder.

"I won her in a game of poker. I named her Terra." Clint's eyes were hidden by a pair of dark sunglasses, and Jo couldn't tell if he was blushing under the dark purple bruises.

"You named your chicken?" Jo asked. Clint didn't even turn his head to look at her. He just kept walking, with a chicken. On his shoulder.

"She's a beloved pet. Of course I named her." Right, of course. Was this really Jo's life?

"Why Terra?" Andy asked. Clint just shrugged, which didn't even ruffle the chicken's feathers. The mansion was silent when the three walked in, which was a little unusual for this time of day.

"JARVIS, anybody home?" Jo asked.

"Everyone is in the gym, Miss Jo. The Hulk and Thor are having another sparring session." Jo led the way over to the elevator, and she was the first one out of it as well. The big door to the gym swung open easily, and Jo was shuffled to the side as Clint and Andy pushed their way through. Darcy and Kole had chairs up against the wall, and Vic was leaning against the wall beside Kole's chair with her arms crossed. Fred and Natasha were talking quietly to one another a little further down, which left Tony and Steve standing side by side as they watched the fight.

"Get 'im, Hulk!" Jo called out as she stopped at her boss's side. Andy moved past her to go talk to Vic, and Clint ran a hand over the startled chicken.

"Hey, you're alive! What happened to your face?" Tony asked.

"A fist," Clint huffed.

"You don't look hurt." Jo slung her arm around Tony's shoulders and didn't bother to comment. Tank, remember? Tony must be feeling a little slow. Clint walked off to join Natasha and Fred, and Jo slumped against Tony's side. Most of her injuries were healed, but she still felt sore and drained.

"I guess things have been okay here?" Jo asked as Thor took a swing at Hulk. The big green guy ducked easily and brought a fist down on Thor's head.

"Just peachy. I even talked Natasha into—"

"Sir, Agent Maria Hill is—"

"STARK!" The sound and movement in the room came to a stop, except for the agent's loud yell. The frazzled agent was leaning against the heavy door to the gym, and her loose hair was slicked to her face with blood. There were gouges in her uniform, and Jo could tell by the way she was holding herself that she had a broken rib.

"What the—"

"Our telecommunications are down. Director Fury sent me here to get you. They're attacking all over the city. The Fantastic Four can't contain them, there's too many."

"Who are they?" Steve asked.

"They called themselves the Zodiac."

"Darcy, Fred, take Maria to the infirmary. Avengers, suit up!" Everyone snapped to attention at the captain's orders, and Jo watched as everyone moved to do as he said. Darcy and Fred got on either side of the agent to help her from the room.

"Hollow." Kole looked up at the sound of her name and peered over the bleeding agent. "The hellicarrier was shot down; I was the only one that could get out. Can you get inside and check if the Director is still alive?"

"Yeah, yeah, I can do that."

"You're gonna trust _Hollow_ to save the director?" Clint asked as they moved closer to the elevator.

"There isn't anyone else," was the last thing Maria said before getting swept away to the infirmary.

"Are you going to help them, Jo?" She looked over at her sister and dimly registered Hulk shifting back into Bruce so they could fit on the elevator.

"I can't let Tony go out there alone," Jo shrugged. Tony huffed but didn't say anything.

"Andy?" Jo's big sister looked at her best friend and bit the corner of her lip. Andy was built like a tank, but she wasn't a fighter. If Reed's team was having problems though, it had to be bad.

"We'll help," Andy whispered. Vic just nodded and crossed her arms. It was a good thing that the elevator was fast-moving because the atmosphere inside of it was strangling. Clint and Natasha stood to one side; Clint kept his glare firmly on Kole, and Natasha's icy look was reserved for Andy and Vic. Kole kept looking down at her feet, but the other two had no problem returning the angry looks. Then there was Thor and Bruce, who were already a little breathless and sweaty. Steve was tensed up and focused, and Tony and Jo were having a silent conversation with just their eyes.

"Clint, Jo, Andy, you need to come get your communication devices," Tony said as they stepped off on the second floor. Everyone scattered from there, and Jo couldn't help the sense of dread hanging heavy in her stomach. This was not going to end well.

**.xXx.**

"The Zodiac are in place," Johann Schmidt muttered.

"They are good at causing destruction, are they not?" Thanos asked as he stepped away from the window.

"They're fabulous, whatever. Don't we have another, more important job to do?" Viper had one green tipped hand propped on her hip, and her long black hair was held behind her in a tight bun. It was time to get to work.

"Amora, you know what to do," Thanos said with a pointed look at the other woman. A smile curled her full lips as she dipped her chin.

"Of course. Right this way, Ophelia." Viper hated that name, but she followed all the same. They had a job to do.

**.xXx.**

"Hawkeye, Widow, report!" Steve called. He was on the ground fighting off robots that seemed designed to target civilians, and he already starting to feel a little worn down. Luckily, he had some backup. The Invisible Woman, Susan Storm, was fighting behind him.

"We've cornered Gemini and Sagittarius! Fight still ongoing!" Steve could easily hear her through the new comm attached to his wrist and nodded his head before addressing the next member.

"Thor?"

"I have engaged the one called Leo!"

"Iron Man?"

"I've got Virgo!"

"Jo?"

"Libra!"

"Andy?"

"I'm taking care of Capricorn, Captain."

"Vic?"

"Pisces!"

"Anyone have eyes on Hulk?"

"He's taking on Taurus, and Thing has Cancer. Johnny just took off after Aquarius, and Richards is looking for the source of the bots," Tony rattled off.

"Don't worry, Captain. Everything is under control," Susan said with a gentle smile as she ripped another bot apart.

"Where's Scorpio?"

**.xXx.**

It all happened so fast, and all at once. For a moment, they thought they were winning. For just a single moment, they all believed that it could be done. They were so wrong.

**.xXx.**

"Come on, ugly! Is that the best you got?!" Johnny yelled. The guy, Aquarius, gave him a slimy grin that would've given Johnny chills if he wasn't on fire.

"_It's done."_ The voice drifted in the air around them, and there was that slimy grin again. Johnny was just about to ask who the hell that was when he got hit with a wave of water laced with electricity, and the last thing he saw was Aquarius's slimy grin.

**.xXx.**

"_It's done."_ Ben looked at where the giant crab man had his arm caught between his pincers, and he took the moment of distraction to slam a rocky fist into the crab's face. Cancer flew off of him, and a body slammed into his torso. The force of the hit knocked him backwards out into the street and when he looked up, Cancer was gone and an extinguished Johnny was unconscious on top of him.

**.xXx.**

"_It's done."_ Natasha barely had time to process the words before an energy blast was tearing through her. Her whole body flashed hot and cold before going numb, and she pressed her hands against the now gaping hole in her abdomen. She caught sight of Gemini's mad eyes before everything faded to black.

**.xXx.**

"_It's done."_

"Natasha!" His partner was on the ground and not moving, and he could see the smoking hole from where he was standing.

"You should pay attention to your own opponents!" Clint felt the flaming arrows sinking into his flesh, could feel his muscles tearing as his nerve endings were set on fire, but he couldn't stop. Another arrow pierced right next to his spine and came out through his throat, and he had a flash of irony as the arrow burned through him. He made it to Natasha's side just as his body gave out.

**.xXx.**

"_It's done."_ The mighty lion's clawed fist raked against Thor's face as he looked for the other voice, and a well-placed kick threw Thor into the street below. When he looked up to the sky again, Leo was gone.

**.xXx.**

"_It's done."_ Andy was caught in the goat's elongated horns when the voice whispered in the air between them, and she used the resulting slack to pry her hands between her body and the horns to pull him off. Instead of the fight she was expecting, Capricorn let her drop. They had been up higher than most of the buildings, and Andy had a moment to brace herself for the fall. Her left ankle broke on impact, but she'd be okay since the goat had completely disappeared.

**.xXx.**

"_It's done."_ The water-surrounded Pisces stiffened at the voice, and Vic immediately knew what was happening.

"Come on, you watered down fucker! Runnin' already?!" There was another wave of water aimed at her, but the giant wave was turned to steam under her fire. When the steam cleared, Pisces was gone. Vic shrugged and set off to find Andy.

**.xXx.**

"_It's done."_ Hulk let a growl rumble out of his chest at the sound of the new voice and turned his snarl on Taurus. The giant Minotaur dropped his hooves and lowered his head, so Hulk prepared himself for the hit of his horns. The horns hit the center of his chest, and Hulk flew back through the air. His back skidded across the concrete, and he heard a loud groan underneath him. A groan that wasn't from an enemy.

**.xXx.**

"_It's done."_ Jo was dodging a high-powered sword when the whispered words cut through the air, and she looked up into Libra's blind eyes. The woman smiled, just for a moment, and something slammed into Jo's side. She was forced to the ground under the onslaught, and she groaned once she finally came to a stop. The heavy weight on top of her lifted up, and she raised hazy eyes to see who'd just run into her like a freight train.

"Hey, big guy. Think you can give me a hand?" Hulk gently scooped her up and placed her on his shoulder, and Jo gratefully wrapped her arms around his neck to hold on.

"Okay?"

"Yeah, big guy, I'm—Tony!"

**.xXx.**

"_It's done."_

"Well, Stark, it was fun while it lasted." Tony was getting ready to retort when he felt the pull on his suit, and his eyes went wide as he realized the suit was rapidly losing power. Virgo was siphoning it all, drawing it into herself, until there was nothing left. He was locked in his suit with no power, and she was hurtling him towards the ground. Tony could hear Hulk's echoing growls and earth shattering stomps, but he wasn't going to make it. Not this time.

**.xXx.**

Steve and Susan both startled as the bots started self-destructing all around them, and they were standing in the middle of electrical parts when Reed joined them. Susan went straight to him, and they took a moment to assess each other's injuries.

"Was this your doing?" Steve asked. Reed met his eyes and shook his head. Then…who?

"Clint?" No answer. "Natasha?" Nothing. "Tony?"

"Steve! Tony fell! He's not responding! What do I do? What do I do?" Jo's panicked voice washed over the comm, and Steve searched his mind.

"I have found Clint and Natasha! They are both gravely injured!" Thor yelled.

"Andy, Vic, go assist Thor. Jo, get Hulk and grab Tony. Go back to the mansion! Now!"

**.xXx.**

"Director!" Kole called out. The hellicarrier was completely destroyed, but most of the agents managed to make it out safely. Director Fury was caught in some rubble where it was nearly impossible to get to.

"Why did they send you?" Kole nearly laughed at the sound of the Director's exasperated voice. At least now she knew he wasn't in any grave danger.

"Do you know anyone else who can get in and out of small spaces like this? Just follow my directions, and I'll have you out in no time." After a lot of sweat and swearing, the Director was out of the rubble and using Kole as a crutch. She was too short to be a real crutch, but they were making due. Kole had just gotten him out into fresh air when they were approached by an agent that was surprisingly spotless.

"Director Fury, sir!"

"What is it?" The Director tried to stand up on his own, but his right tibia was definitely broken.

"There's been a breakout at The Cube and Big House, sir." Kole felt a cold sweat breaking out all over. The Cube and Big House were the two biggest prisons controlled by SHIELD; it was where all the baddies were.

"Who?" the Director ground out.

"A-All of them, sir." Kole nearly fainted, and she felt the Director's hand gripping her shoulder so hard that bruises were a given.

**.xXx.**

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Darcy asked. Fred was back at her apartment, looking for some medicinal soaked bandages for the agent's ribs, so it was just Darcy and Maria in the infirmary for now.

"I'm fine, thanks." Darcy wasn't going to point out that the woman was paler than the sheets she was lying on, except for all the blood.

"Agent Hill, correct?" Maria was on her feet with a gun drawn before Darcy could blink, and the agent easily maneuvered her body in front of the civilian's.

"Are you one of the zodiac?" The man smiled as a pointed tail flicked behind him, and Darcy's eyes were glued to the sight.

"You may call me Scorpio."

"What is your business here?" Darcy had to hand it to the woman; she was completely calm, and it was hard to tell that she had a broken rib and had lost more than enough blood to keep her knocked out.

"Tying up loose ends." Maria twisted around with a scream of, "Darcy, run!" but it was already too late. The man's tail speared through the both of them, and Darcy met Maria's eyes as the tail was slowly removed from the both of them. Maria fell to her knees first, but Darcy wasn't far behind her.

"Darcy, can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear." Everything was graying around the edges, and her stomach was burning something fierce. It was even worse than that taco incident in Mexico.

"You're going to be okay, Darcy. Fred or someone will get here, and they will…will…" Maria slumped to the side before she could finish her sentence, and Darcy reached forward with a shaky hand to grab her shoulder. The woman was completely unresponsive, and everything was getting so dark. So dark.

**.xXx.**

Fred returned to complete chaos. Vic and Andy were sitting in the hallway, nursing little wounds. Steve and Thor were across from them, banged up but still standing. Inside the infirmary was where the problem was. Darcy and Maria were on one of the two beds, both with deep stomach wounds. Natasha was on the other bed, and Fred caught a glance of the woman's intestines. Tony was reclined in a chair and barely conscious, with Jo at his side trying to keep him conscious. Bruce, dressed only in a pair of loose scrub pants, was leaning over Clint. The archer was laid out on one of the counters on his stomach, and Bruce was carefully cutting arrows out of his back.

Fred's dark green eyes flashed blue as she catalogued the injuries, and she felt bile rising up her throat. Natasha's wound cut all the way through and was charred around the edges. The same was true of Darcy and Maria's wounds, but there was a light poison mixed into their bloodstream. The poison might not have been fatal on its own, but coupled with the other injuries, it wouldn't take long to become that way. It was hard to find a bone that wasn't broken in Tony's body, and there were massive internal injuries as well. Clint had severe internal bleeding and his major organs were starting to fail.

"They're not going to make it. I'm sorry, Josephine, I can't save them," Fred whispered. Her stomach was churning and bile was burning her throat, but there was nothing she could do. This was beyond her control.

"They're not dyin'!" Jo's dark eyes were fierce, but death wasn't something that could be fought. It just _was_. The mutant's hands were hovering over Tony's body, too scared to touch down, and she kept looking at everyone else. "They're not gonna die, right, Doc?"

"Jo, I—"

"Container E98736." Tony's statement was followed by a wad of congealed blood, and Bruce turned in a circle to find what Tony was talking about. Fred was watching the other doctor when Jo's gasp caught her notice.

"Tony, you can't!"

"Safe. Modified," Tony groaned.

"Is this what I think it is?" Bruce asked as he turned around with a small box. Fred looked back and forth between the two scientists, but she had no idea what was going on.

"Extremis or death," Tony whispered. Fred's blue eyes noted how the man's heart was struggling to beat and the flickering light of the arc reactor. Extremis? Fred had never heard of it but anything that could heal this kind of damage had to be dangerous.

"Administer one dose only," Bruce said as he placed the box down. He started readying a needle, and Fred looked down at the bright red liquid.

"I don't think I—"

"Do it, Fred. They're not dying today," Jo growled. Fred picked up a vial and swallowed the lump in her throat.

**.xXx.**

"Hold his arm out for me, Jo," Bruce said quietly. Jo extended Tony's left arm as gently as she could, but Tony still hissed at the movement. The needle slid in smoothly, and Jo caught Bruce's eyes as the Extremis entered Tony's system. Bruce moved away as soon as he was done, and Jo leaned down to watch Tony's face.

There wasn't any visible change, and the tornado of thoughts that was always present in Tony's mind was gone. It was so _quiet_, and Jo recognized the fact that she was on the verge of a panic attack. She couldn't even begin to think of Clint laying on the other side of the other room, with a once burning arrow lodged in his throat. She knew that pain, quite intimately, but Clint couldn't heal like she could. She wasn't as close to Natasha, but the woman's been shooting her in the head for nearly a decade. That creates some kind of bond. Jo's also seen Maria Hill around for a few years while doing odd jobs for SHIELD. They're not besties, but Jo knows that Maria prefers hot chocolate over coffee but is still insanely addicted to Red Bulls. Then there's Darcy…street hard Darcy that's still so innocent and _young_ compared to the rest of them, both literally and figuratively.

"Tony? Can you hear me, Tony?" Bright red was pumping through his veins, but his mind was still silent. Jo was just getting ready to let the panic take over when Tony's broken hand reached out to grab hers, and the grip was bruising. Jo called his name and bright red eyes suddenly met hers.

"Jo, I—" Tony didn't really scream. If Jo had to choose a word to describe the sound, she'd call it a yowl. Darcy and Maria, however, were screaming. The room suddenly became a symphony of screams, but Jo couldn't look away as the red continued to spread throughout Tony's body. The grip on her hand was getting stronger with every passing second; a hiss escaped from between her teeth as the grip got strong enough to break the small bones of her hands, but she didn't let go.

"Let go, Jo." Bruce's hands were on her shoulders, his voice was in her ear, and his torso was pressed against her back.

"Not happenin', Doc." She could barely hear her hoarse whisper over the screams, but Bruce must've heard her because his grip tightened for just a moment before stepping away. The red bled out of Tony's eyes as his grip loosened just the tiniest fraction and the scream died out.

"Jo?"

"How you feelin', boss?" Tony glanced down at his body, looked at where one of the knuckles of Jo's hand had pierced through her skin as the bones broke, and then met her eyes.

"I'm alive." Tony's thoughts were a monsoon now, and Jo was starting to feel a little swept away. There was so much going on inside his head, but Jo was able to pick up on one thing.

"Why can I hear JARVIS in your head?"

**.xXx.**

Darcy fell off the table as she returned to consciousness, and a pair of arms saved her from smashing her face on the floor. Her whole body was on fire, her veins were red for some reason, and her heart was beating so hard that she had to look down and make sure it wasn't like one of those cartoon things where you could actually see the dude's heart trying to get out. She couldn't, but she did get a good look at Bruce's happy trail.

"Did the scorpion poison me?" she breathed out. Bruce's hands were locked around her biceps to hold her up, and her knees were knocking together.

"Well, yes, but I think that's gone now. We, uh, gave you a little something to help with the healing?" Bruce's brown eyes looked worried, and Darcy raised a hand to her beating heart.

"I was stabbed by a poisonous scorpion tail the size of a Pringles can. Shouldn't I be dead?"

"We both should be." Darcy let her head hang back since Bruce still had a grip on her arms, which was a good thing since her legs were still kinda wobbly, to see Maria sitting up. She was propped up on one elbow in a position that Darcy didn't think was possible with a broken rib, and the hole in her stomach was gone. Come to think of it, Darcy's own empty space was filled up too.

"What did you do to us, Bruce?" Natasha asked.

"And where can I get another hit?" Clint asked. Darcy's head swiveled to where Clint was sitting up on a counter, and the dude looked fine. Well, he always looked _fine_, but he wasn't injured. The bruises from his deathmatch, the ones that made his face look like he went up against an anvil, were just gone. Like poof.

"What's happened to us?" Darcy whispered. She could feel it, now that she was looking for it, deep inside. Something was different; something was heavier inside.

"I just saved all of your lives. You're welcome," Tony groaned from his corner of the room. The door came open just then as everyone else spilled in, with Steve in front.

"Everyone's alive?" Steve looked shocked, Thor's eyes were suspiciously wet, Kole was openly worried, and Andy and Vic looked like they didn't know what to think.

"Yes, we're all alive, for the moment. And we need sleep, lots of sleep. Can't I do the big talk later?" Tony huffed.

"We need to talk soon. There was a mass breakout at The Cube and Big House," Kole stated.

"Of course there was. Jo, baby, carry me out?" When Darcy looked over, Jo was smiling so big that her tears were getting caught on the upturn of her lips.

"Only if you promise to never call me baby again," she laughed.

"Darcy, would you like some help getting upstairs?" Bruce was still holding her arms and keeping her upright, so a little help would be nice.

"Yeah, sounds good," she said with a shaky smile. Everything was starting to seem a little surreal. She was kinda dead earlier, but now she felt like bench pressing a bus and sleeping for a week at the same time, and she had a desperate urge to hug her mama. Darcy let her head roll on Bruce's shoulder as he smoothly lifted her into his arms, and she had a vague notice of everyone leaning against each other in the elevator. The only people she really noticed was Kole (who reached over to give her hand a squeeze), and Jo and Tony at Bruce's side (Tony was draped over Jo's back).

"I'm actually alive, right?" She was laid out on her bed, even though she was covered in dried blood. Bruce was standing at her bedside, wearing only a pair of loose scrub pants with dust in his hair and what looked like pieces of asphalt.

"Yes, Darcy, you're alive." Bruce's smile was small, and Darcy's heart was doing that cartoon beat thing again.

"Am I gonna stay that way?" Bruce's smile stayed put, but it wasn't in his eyes.

"Yes." There was more to that sentence, but Bruce wasn't saying anything else. Darcy decided to let it go. Dying took a lot out of a girl, and she could go for a nap. She was knocked out before she heard Bruce close the door.

**July 23, 2014**

For a moment, Jo thought it was the sound of Tony's voice that woke her up. Which it kinda was. It was more of his thoughts that woke her up, but she was still a little fuzzy as she tried to wake up fully. They were in Tony's room, because the sheets were a lot silkier than hers, and Jo was spread out on her back. Tony was between her legs, also on his back, with his head pillowed between her breasts. Jo could hear three voices, sometimes all at once, and they were all in Tony's head. There was no phone in sight, but it was clearly a phone call. Inside Tony's head.

"How is that even possible?" Jo murmured. It was too early, or late, or whatever for any of this to be happening.

"Richards, I gotta go."

"—we could probably stabilize…go?"

"Yes, as in I'm hanging up. Give me some hours, and I'll be right over. JARVIS will keep you updated." There was a click, _inside of Tony's head_, and it was just Tony in there.

"One more time, how is that even possible?" Jo plunged her hands into Tony's wild hair and tried not to wince as her broken knuckle twinged. Still healing then.

"I modified the Extremis, stabilized it. It's no Cap-in-a-bottle, but it is an enhancer. It enhanced the best part of me it seems." Tony's tone was flippant, like always, and Jo's whole body shivered.

"Fuck, Tony, you were almost dead. Clint, Natasha, Darcy, Hill…all of you were almost _dead_." Jo's whole body was shaking now, and Tony twisted around so that he could get his arms around her. He wound up with his back against his headboard and his bodyguard draped across his lap, and he had his face pressed against the side of her neck. Her strong pulse was beating against his stubbled cheek while she sobbed silently into his hair.

"We're all alive," he whispered. If she didn't stop crying, he might be on the verge of a crying breakdown.

"Oh, fuck you, you asshole. I've known you all of six months and here I am, having a total meltdown because you _almost_ died. I've killed people I've known longer than you. So, fuck you, Tony, and don't you ever fuckin' almost die on me again or I'll fuckin' kill you myself."

"Love you too, baby."

"I hate you so much."

"Sir, it appears that everyone has awoken. I took the liberty of ordering pizza for everyone." JARVIS was speaking directly into Tony's mind, and that was definitely going to take some getting used to. Tony was taking it all in stride, like he'd always had an AI system hooked up to his brain. Then again, for Tony, this was probably like a homeless guy winning the lottery.

"Alright, get everyone downstairs." Tony and Jo took turns rinsing off in the shower, and Jo just shrugged on some of Tony's red silk boxers and an Iron Maiden tee instead of going to her own room. She didn't really want to let Tony out of her sight, in case of a relapse from the Extremis, and Tony seemed to want her close anyway. They even walked down the stairs holding hands, and Tony pulled her chair right next to his at the head of the table. They weren't the only ones glued together. Natasha was actually sitting in Clint's lap at the table, Darcy and Kole had their arms looped together on top of the table, and Andy had her head rested on Vic's shoulder. Fred was sitting the furthest away from everyone with Maria at her side, Steve was right at Tony's other elbow, and Bruce and Thor were the only ones who looked vaguely calm.

"Should we begin?" Jo listens and absorbs as Tony explains about the modified Extremis and simplifies all the science talk in her head. Tony revamped it. Instead of turning people into super soldiers, like Cap, it just enhances a few things. There's still some above average strength and healing capabilities, especially after the initial dose, but Tony believes that it will wear off slowly after time. It's not meant to last forever. Tony's new ability wasn't factored into that diagnosis, but he doesn't mention that.

"We're still human?" Darcy asked.

"Still one hundred percent human. I'm not sure how long it will take for the effects to wear off, but still human," Tony assured.

"What about the breakouts?" Steve asked. Kole perked up a bit at that, as well as Maria.

"I talked to Fury. Both facilities have been completely wiped out. There haven't been any disturbances, yet, but it's only a matter of time," Maria said quickly. Efficiently. Like a soldier.

"I've been talking to Richards. He wants some of us to meet to start building new prisons; something a little harder to break out of," Tony said quickly. Tony doesn't like Richards, that's a well-known fact, but this is big. Even big enough for Tony to stow his ego issues. For now.

"Hank called me too and asked me to come help," Andy said quietly.

"I'll go with you two," Jo said quickly. Tony and Andy? She couldn't let them both leave without her.

"You should stay here. We both know New York is going to be attacked at some point, and someone needs to be here to keep it in one piece while Daddy's away." Tony smiled at her, but Jo wasn't having it. She was just getting ready to speak up when Steve spoke up.

"We'll need to report to SHIELD. If they're smart, they will have scattered by now. We'll be spread thin rounding them up." Jo was looking across Tony at Steve, and she wanted to argue, but she knew the Captain was right. Steve, Clint, Natasha, and Maria were all agents. They would get sent out to bring prisoners back. Tony and Andy were going to be busy building super prisons.

"Vic, what will you do?" Andy whispered. The hothead shrugged and tapped her fingers on the tabletop.

"I don't do Fury's dirty work, but I put a few of those guys away. They'll be gunnin' for me, so it'll be easier to just get them first. While you're playin' super genius, I'll go round up some of the assholes with the rest of the monkeys."

"Watch it, Ignis, or you might get mistaken for the enemy," Clint crooned. Vic glared across the table but kept her mouth shut. Mostly because Andy placed a hand over her mouth.

"Maybe I should—"

"Stay here and keep my mansion safe? Thanks, buddy," Tony said, completely cutting Bruce off.

"Uh, you're welcome?"

"I would like to stay and fight as well," Thor said solemnly.

"Stay with Jo and Bruce. New York is supervillain crack. I'm sure you'll stay busy," Tony said and grinned at the god.

"I wanna go home." Everyone turned to look at Darcy, who swiveled her head to look everyone in the eye. "Don't give me that look. I think I just died, I'm a little juiced up, and there's a bunch of supervillains on the loose. I wanna go make sure my parents are okay and eat some of Mama's homemade chicken noddle soup."

"Fair enough. I'll arrange a jet for you, completely under the radar." Darcy nodded and didn't say anything.

"We should go report in," Steve said to his fellow agents.

"I need to go pack," Tony said and flowed to his feet. Jo was torn between following him and talking to her sister, but Andy was talking quietly with Vic so she followed after her boss.

**.xXx.**

"My friends! I am afraid I must depart!" Jo was sitting cross-legged on Tony's bed while the mad scientist threw clothes around, and they looked up at the god filling the doorway. He wasn't in his usual jeans and tee shirt; he was dressed in what Jo thought of as his "Battle Armor," cape and all.

"Somethin' wrong, Thor?" Jo asked.

"I have received word from Heimdall. My presence is required in Asgard. I shall return as soon as I'm able." Jo nodded, Tony gave his usual sarcastic remark that was supposed to disguise his worry, and then Thor was gone with an elegant sweep of his cape.

"There's something suspicious about all of this," Tony said as he went back to throwing clothes all over the room. Jo snagged a pair of silky Darth Vader boxers out of the air and placed them in the space between her crossed legs.

"I'm keeping these, and what do you mean?" Tony's mind was a monsoon again, and his mental voice kept blurring with JARVIS's. It was all very confusing, and fascinating, and scary as fuck, and awesome.

"First there's the Zodiac attack, which was clearly a distraction. After being called off, they dealt killing blows to the most vulnerable of us. JARVIS gave me the rundown on everyone's fight, via fashionable comms provided by moi. With Thor, Hulk, you, Thing…anyone already super, they didn't bother with trying to actually kill any of you. They just took off. With the more human of us, they tried to take us out. They would have taken us out, if it hadn't been for my paranoid planning, and they did it easily. If killing us was so easy, why not do it sooner?"

"The thrill of the fight?" Jo hedged.

"It was all a distraction! One great big distraction! And when it was done, they took us out."

"A distraction from the breakout? They did take down the hellicarrier first, which kept SHIELD occupied. Then the Zodiac kept the Avengers and the Fantastic Four busy, so they wouldn't know about the breakout until it was too late."

"Exactly! Now Thor is being heralded back to his homeland, just when things get hairy down here? There's a bigger picture here."

"And what's that?" When Tony didn't say anything, Jo narrowed her eyes at the man. "You don't know, and it's already eatin' ya up inside, isn't it? Tony, don't go lookin' for trouble. Play nice with Richards and Pym, and my sister, and come back here in one piece."

"Oh, you are just too cute." Jo scowled while Tony pinched her cheeks, and he still had one round cheek pinched between his fingers when a throat was cleared in the doorway.

"Do you two need some more alone time?" Jo smiled sheepishly at her big sister and was just going to let the question go, but she forgot that the question was also directed at Tony Stark.

"Yes. I haven't had a chance to try out my new handcuffs. They're fuzzy, Iron Man red. Our safe word is omelet," Tony smirked. Jo groaned and tried to hide her face, but Tony still had his hand on her cheek. Clamped on her cheek. Whatever.

"I think I'll just—"

"He's kidding, Andy." Her sister's cheeks were flushed a pretty pink, and she lightly bit the corner of her lip.

"Oh, right, of course."

"They're pink, and our safe word is asparagus," Jo said with a smirk of her own. Andy groaned and actually managed to hide her face behind her hands.

"Not an image I needed. Stark has ruined my baby sister. Jo, come find me when you two are done. We need to leave as soon as possible." The door closed behind her with an audible click, and Tony and Jo dissolved into giggles. Half of their house almost died and supervillains were on the loose, but they were laughing over handcuffs and safe words. And to think, Jo almost stayed in Rio.

"Your sister totally thinks we're bonin', and she hates me. I love being me," Tony said as he sauntered back over to his closet. A giant walk-in closet that was as big as some bedrooms.

"Boning? Really? You're such a romantic, I mean that. I think I'm gonna swoon. No, wait, I meant hurl."

"Not on the silk sheets! Those cost more than your paycheck," Tony pointed out.

"And here I thought I was doing charity work."

"You know you love me."

"Only when you're on the brink of death."

"So all the time?" Tony asked as he popped his head out of the closet. They were both still pretty freaked about the whole thing, but they were dealing in true Stark fashion. With less alcohol.

"Basically. I'm gonna go talk to my sister before she gets worried about us actually _boning_." The last word was said with a full body shudder, and Tony cackled like a hyena before ducking back into the closet.

"Go deny our epic bromance, see if I care. Oh! Speaking of bromance, keep an eye on Bruce while we're gone. He gets a little maudlin when left to his own devices." It was said quietly from the depths of the closet, and Jo paused with her hand against the giant wooden door.

"I'll keep the Doc in high spirits while we save the city from baddies. Just keep Andy and Susan from bitchin' at each other too much. Andy and Reed might've only dated for a week, which consisted of more science than sex, but it's still a sore spot. Oh, and Jan will probably egg it on, because she's Jan."

"You want me to give up the chance to see hot geek girls duke it out? You just better hope I don't set up a jello pool." Jo groaned as she banged her head against the door and tried not to actually hurl this time.

"I'll blow up your lab."

"I do that twice a day."

"I'll replace all of your coffee with decaf." Tony was silent for a moment, and Jo had to bite back her smile.

"Fine. I'll do what I can. Now go find Carrie before she comes back to save the honor you don't have."

"Touché, boss man." Tony was still laughing when Jo closed the door behind her, and she slowly made her way down the stairs. Instead of taking a spare room or even the apartments behind the mansion, Andy had decided to shack up with Kole. Vic was usually with Andy and seeing as how they were going to be separating soon, Vic was at Andy's side when Jo walked in. Angry brown eyes met Jo's, but Jo wasn't offended by the look. Vic always looked angry, even when she smiled.

"I'll go check on Fred. I haven't seen her since the pizza breakfast," Vic grumbled. Jo moved to the side to let her pass and then watched her go. That breakfast was nearly six hours ago, but Fred was probably just resting up. It'd been a long twenty-four hours.

"What's up, Andy?" Jo asked as she sat down.

"Asparagus?"

"Nothin' turns me off faster," Jo grinned.

"Are you okay with all of this? You don't have to stay here, or fight," Andy said quietly. Jo smiled, just a small little one, and wrapped an arm around her sister's shoulders. Andy was the smart one, she wasn't a fighter. Andy preferred the shadows, where she could think things through before acting. Jo was brasher and didn't mind getting banged up.

"I don't mind the fighting. I'll be more help here than anywhere else," Jo shrugged.

"If you say so."

"I do. Now, can you do me a small favor? Sister to sister?" Andy met her eyes and nodded like a brave little soldier. She might not be much a fighter, but that didn't mean she wasn't tough.

"Anything." Jo knew that Andy meant it. Her sister still blamed herself for Jo getting kidnapped and experimented on, and Jo normally hated asking her sister for anything because she didn't want to play on her big sister's guilt. Still, desperate times and all that.

"Keep an eye on Tony. It's only been three months since Tony stopped drinking, and I don't want him to start it up again. If you catch him drinking, even if it's just a sip, call me so I can make a house call," Jo said sternly. Tony almost died; he fell in a powerless suit. Nightmares were a given, it was only a matter of time. Combine that with the stress of building super prisons and super escapees running around, it was going to be hard for him to resist a drink. Jo was pretty sure that the definition of a slippery slope came from this situation.

"You really care about him, don't you?" Andy's eyes were as soft as her voice and smile, and Jo fidgeted under the look.

"He's an asshole, no doubt about that. He's snarky and a bit of a diva, but he's also insanely sweet and an honest to god hero when he pulls his head out of his ass."

"Stark? Sweet?"

"He built me the biggest balcony, put the comfiest couch I've ever slept on out there, and has this thing that senses rain and closes it all up so nothing gets ruined. Just because he knows I like stars. That's one example, Andy. One," Jo stressed.

"He's good to you, I get it. I'm just happy you made a friend." Andy's smile was sincere and patronizing in the way that only big sisters' could be, but Jo just grinned right on.

"Hey, guys!" Jo and Andy both jumped, and they had matching confused hazel gazes when they noticed the hologram of Kole in the room.

"Kole. Want to explain what's going on?" Jo asked.

"Not a lot of time, Asgardian technology is flaky. Long story short, I accidentally hitchhiked on Thor's magical ride. I'll be back whenever we're done here! I'm fine, Thor's like the best bodyguard ever. No offense, Jo. Oh! Someone's attacking! I'll see you guys soon!" The hologram flicked off, like a TV, and the sisters exchanged a glance.

"Can this day get any wonkier?" Andy asked.

"Not sure about wonkier, but Fred's gone. She left a note in her room. Something about compromised morals and not wanting the pressure to fight. Whatever. She ran," Vic stated from the doorway.

"Where's the note?" Andy asked. Jo was still processing.

"I burned it." Of course she did.

"Kole's in Asgard with Thor, and Fred ran away? SHIELD people are huntin' baddies, Vic's going to get pissed off rivals before they get her, Tony and Andy are goin' to build prisons, and I'm gonna be here? At least I'll have the Doc for company. Bruce is still around, right, JARVIS?"

"Yes, Miss Jo. I have relayed the news about Miss Kole and Miss Fred to both Doctor Banner and Master Stark."

"You're the best, JARVIS. Seriously. Want me to beat up Tony until he makes you a girlfriend for Christmas?" JARVIS is a dignified AI, so he didn't respond.

"Jo, baby! Daddy wants a goodbye kiss!"

"Maybe I'll beat him up for me," Jo growled.

"You know I love the kinky stuff!"

"There's no hope for him. None at all."

* * *

**Finis: **That was so hard to write at times. I hope it made sense, since most of it was written while I was half asleep. I was just so happy to get an idea that made some sense, so I had to go with it.

The Author's Note should make a little more sense now. Everyone is going to be spread out on their own missions, so I'll be able to focus on one couple at a time. Does that make sense? It makes sense in my head. These storylines, nine in all at last count, will occur over a one-month period. I'll still put dates, because of reasons. If I'm talking gibberish, maybe it'll be clearer in the next chapter. And the leading lady in the next chapter is…*drum roll*…JO! Could it have been anyone else?

Also, does anyone reading have anything against smut?


	9. Beast: Part One

**TIB: **So, to start off, I decided not to post the big couples' chapters as one big chapter. So, this is just Part One, and it's not even halfway. Maybe a third of the way. As for the couples' chapters, think of them as Fury's Big Week stretched out into a month. All happening simultaneously. Funnily enough, also getting on Fury's nerves. If there's any confusion, please let me know.

* * *

"_There may be something there that wasn't there before."  
__**Beauty and the Beast**_

**.xXx.**

**Chapter Nine  
****You Be The Beast  
Part One**

* * *

**July 25, 2014**

"You're just as bad as Tony, Doc." Jo tried not to laugh as Bruce nearly fell off his chair, but the look on the Doc's face was priceless. His eyes were wide behind his glasses and his hair was doing a wonderful impersonation of a porcupine.

"Sorry?"

"You do know it's been two days since everyone skedaddled, right? Have you slept at all?" Bruce turned his head, which made Jo follow his line of sight until she saw the couch. A couch with a big fluffy blanket that had clearly been slept on recently. "Definitely as bad as Tony. Well, it's your lucky day, Doc. I cooked us some dinner, so you can eat and then go sleep in an actual bed."

"Actually, I just—"

"Bed, Doc. You know, with a mattress softer than a feather and big fluffy pillows. You should try it some time," Jo said as she popped her knuckles. Bruce smiled softly as he pulled his glasses off and looked at her from under messy curls.

"Are you trying to intimidate me?" Jo's grin was wide enough to show the dimple in her left cheek, and she propped her fists on her hips.

"I ain't trying nothin', Doc. If I catch you up here after supper, I will literally wrestle you out of here. It's not a pleasant experience, trust me. Now get a move on! I don't like cold noodles!" Jo called over her shoulder as she walked out. Bruce shook his head and shrugged out of his lab coat before following after her. He was never going to get used to people casually saying things like that. First it was Tony, who knew exactly who he was and still tried to push his buttons. Who argued with him in the lab and had no problem slapping him on the back so hard that he fumbled forward a step. Most people were too scared of Hulk to do anything so casually, so Bruce assumed that Tony was either too full of himself or an idiot.

"_**Friend,"**_ Hulk growled inside his head.

"He's got a point there, Doc. He did save Tony from certain death and scared him back to life. Although, to be fair, big guy, boss is a bit full of himself," Jo said as they walked down the stairs. Hulk huffed, and Bruce reached up to pat the side of his head.

"Can you always hear what I'm thinking?" They were walking towards the kitchen now, not the dining room.

"Not always. I normally keep it closed off, you know? Sometimes the louder voices leak through, and Hulk's _voice_ is kinda loud."

"Oh, never thought of it that way. Are we eating in the kitchen?" He didn't really like the idea of anyone poking around inside of his mind, or Hulk's. It was unsettling, but he knew it wasn't Jo's fault.

"Yeah. Just two people eating in the dining room seemed a little depressing, with everyone else gone. Too much empty space, and it's just spaghetti." Jo moved off towards the refrigerator once they made it to the kitchen, and Bruce was able to get a look around. There was a long bar in the kitchen, with chairs all around it, and Jo had set up plates for them across from one another. The spaghetti smelled delicious, and there was even a small plate piled with garlic bread.

"Looks good."

"I'm not the best cook in the world, but I can scrounge up a few things. What are ya drinkin', Doc?"

"Oh, I'll fix it." Jo just shrugged and continued pouring herself a giant mug of Mountain Dew. After a few minutes, Bruce finally took his seat with a cup of tea. Jo was already happily slurping down noodles, and she grinned at him with her cheeks stuffed full. "Have I missed anything important?"

"Wmph." She raised a finger, downed a bunch of soda, and sucked in a big breath before blowing it out. "Well, if you'd keep your comm in, you'd know."

"Oh, right," he said as he glanced down at his bare wrist. He kept forgetting to put on the watch Tony gave him; he probably needed to find it. Jo tapped her left ear, where her own studded comm device was.

"Tony gave Fury access to the comms, for now, since we're all so spread out. I've been runnin' patrols in the city with Ben and Johnny. It's been quiet so far, but I'm sure someone will come along eventually. Speaking of the Fantastic Twosome, I invited them over for poker later. Wanna join us? After you get some sleep in an actual bed?"

"Poker?" She was going to play poker with the Human Torch and Thing?

"If you're against gambling, you'll be happy to know that we play with Skittles. Don't ever play against Thor though, because he _always_ wins." Jo was grinning at him again while trying to shovel in as much spaghetti as she could, and Bruce shook his head.

"I should probably go back to the lab. I've been looking into the Extremis that Tony modified, trying to test the degeneration and see how long it'll last," Bruce said with a smaller, more normal, bite.

"That is more your area than Tony's," Jo agreed. Bruce hummed since he couldn't actually talk at the moment, and Jo started laughing. He raised a brow in hopes of communicating a question, and Jo placed a hand over her mouth so her chewed food wouldn't be seen. He watched her throat work as she swallowed and then she was smiling at him again. "I think this is our first conversation without a phone."

"If you'd like, I can get my phone and go into the dining room." Jo rolled her eyes and propped an elbow on the counter.

"I think I prefer the face-to-face interaction. Also, we never got to this part. I'm Jo Holbrook, and it's an honor to meet you in person." Bruce looked at the hand hovering over the garlic bread and swiped his palm across his pants before settling it against hers. Her palm and fingers were rough with calluses, so her body didn't heal those.

"Bruce Banner. The honor is mine." Their hands pumped three times before coming back to their own sides of the table.

"_**Jo met Hulk first."**_ Hulk's voice was almost smug, and Jo nearly choked on her laughter. Or maybe her Mountain Dew.

"He's got a point. I met him in person first, and I'm glad I did. Explodin' is not a pleasant feelin'," Jo grinned. Bruce's eyes still had a green tint to them, and they both heard Hulk's pleased grunt.

"Have you, uh, exploded before?" It sounded like a personal question, it was a personal question, but Bruce still asked. The woman could actually hear his thoughts, so he was going to have to redefine personal boundaries.

"Once or twice. I stay whole and everythin', but it still hurts like a bitch. I think it's all the shrapnel. I was paralyzed once until Natasha dug a screw out of my spine." She reached back to lightly rub the area, even though there wasn't a scar. Jo didn't need a scar to remember the exact location. The physical proof was gone, but the memory of the redheaded assassin carving away at her spine for two hours was still there. Like a phantom ache.

"You can heal nerve damage?" Bruce's mind was whirling, and Jo's smile was softer now. It was like hearing Tony's thoughts, like a big whirlwind. Like standing inside the eye of a hurricane.

"Yeah. I can heal pretty much anything, I guess. I can't regenerate body parts though. If I lost a leg, it'd just be gone." Bruce took note of the way her shoulders tightened under the thin tee shirt and resisted the urge to ask. He didn't like it when people poked at his old wounds, so he wasn't going to disturb hers. "That's how I met Fred. I was on a mission in Prague, and it was a clean slice. Fred found me in some clichéd condemned building, holding my severed leg and freakin' right the fuck out. She could see the way my stump was already trying to close and heal, and she made a decision. She sewed the two pieces together, like I was Frankenstein's monster, and let my weird ass biology do its thing. If she had hesitated, I'd be a tank on its last leg."

"That's…"

"Really gross dinner conversation?"

"I was going to say really awesome." Jo huffed but smiled just the same, and Bruce felt himself smiling back. She was clearly a little shaken by the memory, he could see it in the tension next to her eyes and around her mouth, but she told him anyway.

"Not bad for our first conversation then?" Bruce didn't really know her, not yet at least, but she didn't seem the like shy type. The woman wasn't even wearing pants right now. The smile she was giving him right now though wasn't one of her big grins; it was small and shy, like she was actually worried about their first prolonged face-to-face conversation.

"_I think I'm scared of _you." That was what Jo said when she was falling down drunk and on the other side of an ocean. They were both a little afraid of each other, but Bruce felt oddly at peace sitting in a massive kitchen and eating spaghetti with her.

"Not bad at all." Her shy smile spread into a full-out grin, and she ducked her head down to take a chunk out of her garlic bread. Bruce dipped a piece of his own bread into some sauce and tried not to think about how odd all of this was. He didn't want to offend Jo, after all.

"You could never offend me, Doc. In my oddball life, you're the normal one." It was said with a wink, and Bruce raised his cup to her in a salute.

"To the oddballs?" Jo raised her mug, which dwarfed his little teacup, and gently knocked them together.

"May we all live happily ever after."

**.xXx.**

Bruce rubbed a hand across his eyes as he shuffled down the stairs and tried to hold in his yawn. He'd done like Jo asked and went straight to his room after they finished off the spaghetti and garlic bread. It'd barely been eight o'clock, but he was out as soon as his head touched the pillow. Now it was eight in the morning, and Bruce honestly can't remember the last time he slept for a full twelve hours. Even before Hulk and being on the run, he never was the type of person to sleep a full eight hours. He hugged the robe he was wearing a little closer to his body and froze as he reached the kitchen.

"I'm not puttin' salami in the omelets!" Jo was yelling. She was in the same thin black tee shirt as the night before, which was definitely one of Tony's old ACDC shirts, but she had put on some silky Darth Vader boxers instead of wandering around in panties. Bruce was pretty sure the silk boxers were also Tony's. Johnny was standing next to her at the stove with a hunk of salami in his hand, and all he was wearing were a pair of loose sweatpants.

"Don't mind them. They're both _**IDIOTS**_!" Bruce jumped a little at the loud yell and finally crossed the threshold into the kitchen. Ben Grimm, The Thing, was sitting at the bar and watching the two argue.

"She's the idiot! It's an omelet! The beauty of an omelet is that you can put anything in them!" Johnny shouted. Jo raised her chin and then slapped him with her spatula. Bruce settled himself down next to Ben and began to wonder if he was still asleep.

"Would you like an omelet, Doc?" Johnny still looked stunned, as if he couldn't believe he'd been spatula slapped, and Jo was looking right at him.

"If you don't mind," Bruce said quietly.

"Anything for _you_," Jo said with a pointed look. She used her hip to push Johnny out of the way and then got back to work. Johnny finally recovered, and the kitchen was filled with their yelling again.

"Did those idiots wake you up? I told them to keep it down." Bruce looked over at the owner of the gruff voice and shook his head.

"No. Did you two, uh, stay over?" Bruce winced as he said it because they obviously stayed the night. Still, Bruce wasn't good at interacting with strangers. He was okay with Tony and Jo, even Steve and Thor. He had an understanding with Hulk, they talked now, so he didn't have to worry about anything getting out of hand. Over the years though, he's forgotten how normal human interactions work. Then again, Ben is like a brick hall. Even Hulk might have problems fighting him.

"_**Hmph, Hulk could beat rock man."**_

"_He's stronger than he looks."_

"_**So are we."**_ Bruce felt oddly touched by that particular pronoun and didn't argue.

"Yeah, the poker game ran a little late. It's been quiet in the Baxter building with Reed and Sue gone, and Johnny's hell to live with without a buffer." The big guy's gruff laugh was comforting in a way, even with Jo and Johnny giving them a loud background noise.

"Maybe we can arrange playdates for them until the others get back?" Ben's laugh seemed to shake the air around them, and Bruce ducked his head to hide his smile as the two in question shouted protests.

"Oh, can it, torch boy! Before I take you out back and hose ya down," Jo said as she sauntered away from the stove. She laid down Ben's plate first, which looked more like a tray than a plate. His giant cup of orange juice was in what looked like a steel cup, and Ben thanked her before digging in.

"I'd like to see you try it. We both know you can't handle my hotness," Johnny said as he sat down across from them with his own plate. Jo slapped the back of his head as she sat down Bruce's plate before going to get her own breakfast.

"It was your ego that I couldn't handle. Damn thing has its own postal code," she grumbled as she sat down next to Johnny and directly across from Bruce.

"You know you love it."

"Don't make me hurt you."

"Alright, children, let's get serious for a moment. How are we going to set up patrols?" Ben asked. Both of them adopted serious faces and thoughtfully chewed their omelets.

"Rotation would be best, right? Keep one of us on the lookout at all times?" Jo asked.

"I'm unavailable from six in the evening until at least noon," Johnny said.

"Still terrorizing poor unsuspecting females?" Jo popped off.

"I haven't heard any complaints."

"That's because your ego is like an insulator."

"We'll make Johnny do the afternoon shift. What about you, Jo?" Ben said, cutting the two off before it got ugly.

"I'll take the night shift. Alicia might hurt me if I keep you away too much," Jo said with a grin. The big guy huffed but didn't argue.

"I'd better get going then. Johnny, you're on this afternoon," Ben said as he got to his feet.

"Awesome. Thanks for disgusting eggs, Jo. Now I've got a coffee date to get to!"

"Asshole!" Jo yelled as Johnny ran from the room.

"One day, maybe, he'll grow up," Ben grumbled.

"And on that day, I will dance a jig amidst the frozen fires of Hell," Jo grinned. Ben reached across the counter to settle a hand against her shoulder and then he was walking away.

"Nice talking to you, Bruce! If you ever wanna get a drink and a breather from the nutjob, you know where to find me!" Ben called as he left the kitchen. Jo rolled her eyes with a huff and took an aggressive bite of her eggs.

"That was…"

"The Fantastic Twosome. I think they're a little lost without Reed and Sue, the idiots," Jo said without meeting his eyes. Bruce could read between the lines. Jo was feeling a little lost without Tony around, which was something Bruce understood. Even though he hadn't been at the mansion long, it felt quiet without the others around. It felt…empty.

"Would you like to join me in the lab?" Bruce didn't really mean to ask Jo that, but it was out there now. He knew that she laid around Tony's lab, Tony ranted about it sometimes with a fond tone.

"Depends. Are you distracted by knitting?" That small little smile was back, and Bruce knew he'd made the right call.

"I find the sound of knitting needles soothing." Her next smile lit up her face, and she bounced off her chair in her excitement.

"I'll meet you after my shower!" Bruce watched her go and then turned back to his eggs. The whole thing was still odd, very odd, but he could get used to it.

**August 2, 2014**

The past week has passed by almost quietly. A few days ago two of the escaped prisoners finally attacked the city, but it was taken care of quickly. Bruce offered to help, but Jo and The Fantastic Twosome had things handled. On all the other days, Bruce and Jo had a routine going. Jo usually got in a little after six in the morning, and she'd wander into the lab somewhere between noon and one. Sometimes she'd read or knit, sometimes they talked while he worked, and sometimes Jo just napped. Around eight Jo would leave the lab to go cook, they'd eat by nine, and Jo would leave at ten to take her patrol shift. Bruce almost felt like a slacker on the patrol detail, but the three of them had their own routine going.

It was one-thirty on a Sunday afternoon, but Jo still hadn't made an appearance. Only a week had passed since their routine began, but Bruce was used to her presence. It was too quiet in the lab without the sound of knitting needles, or Jo humming as she read one of her trashy romance novels, or even Jo's rough voice as they compared their favorite places to travel.

"JARVIS, is Jo still sleeping?" It was a little odd talking to JARVIS when Tony wasn't around, but the AI always responded.

"Yes, Dr. Banner." The AI isn't human, but he certainly sounds human.

"Is she okay?" The AI sounded worried, strained almost.

"I enacted the soundproof protocol on Miss Jo's room one hour and thirteen minutes ago," the AI recited.

"Soundproof protocol?" Bruce had a shadowy memory of Tony rattling off something about a soundproof something, but he was very fuzzy on the details.

"The sound in Miss Jo's room reached levels high enough to be heard by others outside of the room." Jo was sleeping, but the sound in her room was loud enough to be heard by others.

"She doesn't have a radio on or anything, does she?"

"No, sir. She appears to be having a violent nightmare." Bruce felt Hulk stirring as he stepped into the elevator, and his hands nervously wrung together as two fingers pressed against the pulse in his wrist.

"_We're okay. I'm just worried about Jo."_

"_**Not okay?"**_

"_We'll see, but you can't come out unless I ask you to."_ Hulk huffed, but Bruce knew he understood. Later, Bruce thought as the elevator came to a stop, he'd call Ben and ask for a spar. Jo's door was right next to the elevator, and Bruce hurriedly opened it. He was greeted by a strangled scream, but Jo was the only one in the room. Small streaks of light peeked through the curtains hanging over the balcony doors and lit up a sight that Bruce would never be able to forget.

Jo was laying on the bedroom floor with her light blue sheets tangled around her ankles, like she'd crawled off the end of her bed in her panic. Her bare legs were curled in tight against her body, and the sweat that coated her skin darkened her grey tank top to almost black. Her fingers were tangled in her long hair, and she kept pulling at it as she screamed. It was a tortured sound that made his ears ring, but it didn't stop him from crossing the room and kneeling down next to her. He wasn't sure if he should try shaking her awake, because that sometimes only worsened the problem and caused the sleeping person to wake up swinging. Hulk liked Jo, but Bruce didn't want to push him.

"Jo?" He lightly touched her bare arm, and her entire body went still. Instead of screaming, she began to whimper. Somehow, the quiet little sounds were even worse than the loud screams.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Please, stop, I won't ever do it again. I promise, I promise," she whispered. Bruce wasn't sure if it was a nightmare or a memory of some sort. He firmed the hold he had on her shoulder and leaned down closer to her.

"Jo, you're safe. You just need to wake up," Bruce said at a normal volume. He didn't want to shout and startle her.

"I won't do it again, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Please, please…**NO!**" She screamed as her body jolted, and one of her hands lashed out to grip his forearm. A quiet hiss escaped from between his teeth as her short nails pierced his skin, and he felt a heavy pressure throbbing against his temples. He reached up to rub at the pulsing sensation, but the pain surged and darkened his vision. When he closed his eyes, an image played out against the back of his eyelids. The girl he could see looked vaguely familiar, and that's when it hit him. He was seeing Jo's nightmare. In her panic, she could show him her dream.

_There was a man, middle-aged, standing next to a surgical table in a white lab coat. The girl that had to be Jo was laying on it, but he couldn't imagine Jo ever looking like that. All of her long thick hair was shaved off, and her curves disappeared to show popping hipbones and a protruding sternum. She was naked, except for thin white sheets that covered her small breasts and a small square settled between her legs. Pins were holding back flaps of skin flayed from her torso, and the man had a gloved hand inside of her stomach. _

"_Do you realize what you have done, Josephine?" The man's voice was even and calm. If there wasn't a girl being tortured on his table, Bruce would have assumed he was just an average guy. _

"_I know, I'm sorry, Dr. Serrens. I'll never go it again, I promise." Jo was openly sobbing now, loud cries that shook her body and caused fresh blood to drip onto the table. Her thin wrists pushed against the metal cuffs that bound her to the table, but she didn't seem strong enough to break them. The man twisted his arm, and Jo's scream echoed in the blindingly white room. "Please, stop. I won't do it again, I promise."_

"_Amelia was my favorite nurse, Josephine, and you killed her. She had a husband and a little girl, and you took her away from them. You deserve this pain," the doctor whispered._

"_I know, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Please, just stop. You're killing me." Jo's voice was soft, so much softer than the voice Bruce had gone accustomed to over the past week. _

"_Mmm, and we can't have that, can we? Not until the telepathy takes, at least." Until the telepathy takes? Jo hated the telepathy, was scared of it. That night, which was starting to feel like a lifetime ago, Jo said that she never wanted to learn how to use it. Bruce had nearly forgotten that rushed out admission, but he was remembering it now. Jo wasn't born a telepath; it was _forced_ on her. Bruce had heard of places like this one, where mutants were experimented on. But Jo had never mentioned being held in one. _

"_NO! NO!" The doctor was meticulously cutting out a section of her large intestine, and Jo's sweet voice was distorted by the sound of her scream. Bruce couldn't watch anymore of this, and JARVIS said that Jo had been reliving all of this for over an hour. Even though it was a dream being pushed into his mind, he still had some kind of power. He pictured himself in the room, walking towards the table where Jo was being held down. He pictured his hand gently touching her shaved head, and her scream cut off as watery hazel eyes met his. _

"_Bruce?" Her voice was still so soft, despite the desperate screaming._

"_You need to wake up now, Jo." He could still hear the man snipping at her intestine. _

"_What if I'm back there? What if it was all a dream, and Clint and Natasha don't come for me?" _

"_Then Hulk will come smash you out. Wake up, Jo."_

Bruce's eyes popped open as the pressure on his mind vanished, and he took a moment to just suck in a few deep breaths. He could feel Hulk inside of his mind, like he was pacing, and he reassured the other half of his mind without using words. He just let the feeling expand to them both, and the growling presence was slowly quieted. Once that was done, he glanced down to make sure that Jo was awake. Her fingernails were still embedded in his forearm, and at some point she had curled around where he was kneeling and pressed her cheek against his thigh. She was still crying, but without sound.

"Rickard hated the sound of crying. The louder the sound, the higher the voltage." Her normally rough voice was reaching new levels, and she was shaking against his legs. Rickard must've been one of the other doctors in the facility. Rickard and Serrens, he knew those names from somewhere. His mind flicked through random information until the names made sense. They were half of a team of doctors, ROSE. A group that was notoriously known for experimenting on mutants and humans.

"What can I do?"

"You saw it, didn't you?" She was shaking so hard that her teeth were rattling, and Bruce was bleeding freely. Normally he'd be worried about the radiation in his blood, but he had a feeling that Jo could survive it.

"Yes." There was no point lying; Jo would know anyway.

"So you know." She sounded so defeated, and he could feel her tears soaking through the material of his pants.

"I'm sorry you went through that."

"_Fuck!_" Bruce grunted as her nails were ripped out of his arm, and he watched with wide eyes as she fluidly rolled to her feet and faced away from him. She was facing the balcony doors now, and a ray of light highlighted his blood on her fingertips. From where he was still kneeling, he could easily see the tense set of her shoulders under her hair and see the way her thighs trembled.

"Jo?" Her body twitched, and her hands clenched into fists.

"No one knows the specifics. In the debriefings, I gave the most clinical answers I could. Was I tortured? Yes. How was I tortured? Physically, both instrumental and through neglect, as well as psychologically. I didn't tell anyone about the electric shocks that were administered to keep me weak; I didn't tell anyone I was punished for killing a nurse. I didn't tell anyone I was tortured to test my endurance. No one was ever supposed to know, but you…Fuck, Bruce, you saw it!"

"I didn't mean to," he said quietly. She was mostly still now, except for clenching and unclenching of her fists, and she still wouldn't look at him.

"It's the fuckin' telepathy! I don't scar, I heal. I could forget about that fuckin' place, because there aren't any marks. But the telepathy, it's always gonna be there to remind me. It's usually okay, because of my voice, you know? It's all rough and shit because Clint shot me with an exploding arrow during the rescue, so it reminds me that there was a rescue. In the dreams though…in the dreams, my voice is still so soft, like the rescue never happened. You heard it, didn't you?"

"Yes." What she was saying didn't make a lot of sense, but Bruce was starting to piece it together. In the dream, she was worried that Clint and Natasha weren't going to come for her. SHIELD must have tracked ROSE down and orchestrated a rescue mission. Something must have gone wrong for Clint to shoot Jo, but why didn't her voice heal?

"No one knows why it didn't heal. I can survive losing a piece of my intestine and my body reconnecting a severed leg, but I can't heal from an exploding arrow to the voice box. Do you know what I think, Bruce? I think I'm scared to let it heal, because if it heals, there won't be anything to remind me that I'm safe. Because you saw, right? But you won't tell anyone? You won't tell them that you saw me?"

"I won't tell anyone." The more she talked, the more panicked her voice became. He watched as she nodded and then curled in on herself again. Her bare knees hit the carpet, and he saw her hands running over her ribs and grabbing at her hips. Like she was feeling the jutting bones of her malnourished body all over again. Her shoulders were shaking, and Bruce knew she was crying silently.

"Thank you. I wanna be alone now," she whispered. Bruce slowly got to his feet and glanced down at his bloody arm. The skin around the marks was tinged green as the holes closed up completely. Hulk healed him.

"_**Don't go. Help."**_ Bruce followed his instincts and walked over to where Jo was lightly shaking. He knelt behind her so that her back was pressed against his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her torso. His hands rested on the area that had been flayed open all those years ago, and Jo's fingers lightly rested on top of his own before pressing more firmly. He could still feel her shaking in his arms, and he pressed his cheek against the top of her head.

"My father was an alcoholic. Some of my earliest memories are of the smell of his favorite whiskey and the feeling of his fists. He hated me, thought that his nuclear exposure was passed on to me and mutated my genes. It's too bad he didn't live to see Hulk," Bruce said with a dry laugh. He was used to having another presence in his mind, and he could feel Jo. Instead of trying to resist or hide, he nudged her in the right direction. He let her see him as a child, curled into a small ball as his father beat him just for existing.

"Bruce, you don't have to—"

"When I was six, my mother tried to stop him and was accidentally killed. My father was taken to a mental hospital, and I went to live with my aunt. I think that's where Hulk comes from. All those years of abuse just taught me how to hide. Hide the bruises, hide the anger. I buried everything inside until I wasn't even human anymore." He could see his mother laying on the floor with her neck at a wrong angle, but she looked like she was sleeping. He could feel his father's hands on his already bruised shoulders as he was forced to repeat that it was an accident. She fell, and it was just an accident. Of course, the truth came out just a few weeks later, but those were the worst weeks of his life. There was no mother to run to and wash the blood off him when his father took the beatings a little too far.

"Bruce." Jo didn't say anything else, but she didn't have to. They could both feel the way his fingers sunk into her flesh to anchor him to the now, and they could both hear Hulk's loud growls at the remembered pain. Jo could even hear a single thought that echoed with both of their voices, _"In the dark, where HulkBruce hide."_ Jo didn't even have to hear the meaning out loud to understand; she could see a flash of a childlike Bruce, with big brown eyes and a bloody nose, hiding in the depths of a closet.

"Now we both have secrets to keep." Jo twisted around in his arms and pressed her face against his neck, and he felt her hot silent tears falling against his skin. He didn't know if she was crying for her or for him, but it didn't really matter. He felt drained and numb, because he never talked about his childhood. It hurt too much to think about.

Jo rose to her feet, and she lightly tugged on his arm until he was standing too. He let her pull him over to her ruined bed and even cooperated when she pushed him to sit down. She swiftly got down on her knees to start plucking at his shoes, and he watched in a numb fog as she pulled both off. Once his feet were bare, she crawled up onto the bed next to him and pulled him to lay down with her. Her toes snagged the blanket on the far side of the bed, and they curled around each other under the cocoon of the blanket. Jo nuzzled her nose against his chest and slipped one hand under his shirt to press against the bare skin of his stomach. Her legs tangled with his, and he reached down to grab one bare thigh. There was something about feeling skin under his hand that was comforting.

"When we wake up, everything will be better. You'll go back to the lab and be your super genius self, and I'll knit Tony's Christmas sweater until it's time to cook dinner. Okay, Bruce?" Her rough was small and hopeful, and Bruce's fingers flexed against the muscle of her thigh.

"Okay, Jo."

**.xXx.**

Bruce woke up slowly and not alone, both which were different from the usual. He normally woke up instantly and on his own. Right now, he was as far from alone as he could get. He had one hand curved around a very bare thigh and the other was buried under a mass of hair. A leg was curled around his, a cheek was pressed again his chest, and a finger was idly flicking one of the buttons on his shirt. When he glanced down, Jo's eyes were open but unfocused.

"Okay?" His voice was sleep rough, and Jo tipped her head back to look at him.

"I was just thinkin'."

"About?" Earlier, before their nap, had been a little intense. He still felt worn out from the emotional outpour, and he thought he could hear Hulk snoring somewhere deep in the recesses of his mind.

"When's Hulk's birthday?"

"What?" He was starting to feel more awake, but it looked like he was stuck saying one word at a time.

"I was just wonderin' when Hulk's birthday is. I know he's another part of you, biggest case of multiple personality disorder I've ever seen, but you two are kinda separate. So, do you share a birthday? Or does Hulk have one of his own?"

Dark hazel eyes were staring directly into his own, completely unwavering, as she waited for an answer. From the serious look on her face earlier, Bruce assumed she was thinking of her horrible nightmare and all the other associated memories it was bound to dredge up. Instead she was trying to figure out if Hulk had his own birthday. No one had ever asked him that particular question about the Hulk, and he could admit that he never thought of it either. Why would he?

"Why?" Her eyebrows pulled together, and her left cheek twitched like she was biting the inside of it.

"Well, I'm shit at bakin', but practice makes whatever. So, I was thinkin', what's the best thing to bake? Which got me to thinkin' about birthday cakes and then I was thinkin' about your birthday, since we're the only ones here for who knows how long. I don't know when your birthday is—"

"April fourteenth."

"—I'll keep that in mind. I didn't know if Hulk had a separate birthday though. I thought about asking him, but he's sleeping pretty hard in there." She was smiling at him with another one of those shy little curls to her lips. He was starting to realize that her grins were like Tony's smirks, a fake smile that people expected to see. The barely there twitch of her lips was a real smile.

"I…you…um, hmm." He didn't have an answer, but Jo was still looking up at him with a _real_ smile. She was lying in bed with him, even though he'd seen her flayed open and she'd seen him crying in a dark closet. She'd seen Hulk and called him her hero.

"Did I break you, Doc? Are you—" His hand was already buried under her hair with his fingers pressing against her scalp, which made it easy to tip her head back just a little bit more and at just the right angle to brush his lips against hers. It barely fit the definition of a kiss, but Jo's quick little intake of air was better than any loud gasp like the one usually heard in movies.

"Thank you," he whispered as his lips brushed across hers again. It definitely wasn't anything like the movies. Their noses were pressed together, they were both a little sweaty from the shared body heat under a fluffy blanket, and there was morning breath in the afternoon.

"If that's how you thank a girl, I need to start doin' more. Got any laundry that needs doing? Shoes that need new laces?" This close, he could see all the colors that made up her dark hazel eyes and feel the curl of her lips as she smiled.

"I could use some more towels in my bathroom," he teased. It felt good to relax and joke. It'd been so long since he had the chance to do something like this.

"Consider it done. How do you feel about payment up front?" He caught a flash of a young girl slipping out of a window, just seconds before setting eyes on Natasha Romanoff for the first time, and himself mumbling, _"Should've got paid up front, Banner."_

"It's a must." Jo leaned up into him this time and turned their barely-there kisses into actual ones. If he ever thought about kissing Jo, which he didn't, he would have imagined her to be an aggressive kisser. With hands pulling at his hair and teeth sinking into his lip. If anything, she was the exact opposite. Her body was warm and relaxed where it was draped across him, and she was happy to let him lead. His lips were soft on hers, gently tugging, as his hands stroked across her skin.

"Fuck, Doc, where have you been hiding?" Her eyes were big as she stared up at him, and he realized that her hand was up his shirt again.

"India. Kolkata, mostly." Jo huffed and rolled her eyes, but she tipped her head back and looked at him like she was waiting for something. He braced his palm against the back of her neck and brought his lips back down to hers. Jo sighed as her nails lightly scratched against his stomach, and he felt her body moving against his as she shifted up the bed a little. She was still following his lead, and he kept the kisses light. There was a part of him, deep down inside, that was scared to do anything else. There was still a fear of rejection, of revulsion, and of hurting—

"Tank, remember? You can't hurt me, Hulk won't hurt me, and he's sleeping right now anyway. You don't have to hold back with me," she whispered with a light kiss to the base of his throat. The hand that had been under his shirt was resting over his heart now, with one finger tapping out the calm beat. She was shaking. Bruce's first thought was that she was scared and trying to hide it, but he knew she wouldn't do that. She'd admit it if she was scared. No, she was shaking because of how tense she was. Like she was holding herself back. For him. From him.

"I know, I just—"

"_Bruce, please."_ He gripped her biceps and hauled her up his body. She moaned before he even got his lips on her, and he swallowed the sound as he forced her lips to part for him. Strong thighs squeezed his ribcage as hands tangled in his hair, and Bruce felt a flash of heat as she undulated on top of him. His own hands gripped her thighs to pull her just a little bit closer before pushing under her tank top to feel the flexing of her spine. Her tongue brushed against his lips before retreating and then dipping completely inside, like she just couldn't help herself. The grip on his hair was almost painful and completely amazing, and Jo was making quiet little rumbling whimpers in the back of her throat.

"Jo." Whatever else he was going to say was cut off as teeth scraped against his Adam's apple before lips curled around it with a soft lick. Jo's lips danced across his throat, with small nibbling bites and teasing licks, as she made her way to his ear. He knew he was squeezing her hips hard enough to bruise, but he couldn't let go. Not while her tongue was tracing the outline of his ear.

"You can touch me, you know. Touch me, Bruce," Jo breathed into his ear. He barely recognized the growling noise that came out of him, but it made Jo shiver on top of him and nip his earlobe.

"I, uh…_oh_." She had grabbed one of his hands and taken care of it herself, and he felt her laugh tickle against his collarbone. He spared a moment to wonder when she'd unbuttoned his shirt as his fingers curled around the soft flesh of her ass but then Jo was kissing him again. Teeth grazed his bottom lip and a tongue soothed the small sting, and Jo's thighs flexed against his sides.

"Eris!" Jo jumped like she'd been shocked at the sound of the loud voice in her ear, and she sat up on his stomach.

"Sir!"

"Get your ass down to Greenwich! And take Hulk! Now!" Nick Fury barked out.

"We're on it, sir!" There was a tiny click, and Jo's eyes met his. They were both tense for all of two seconds before dissolving into laughter. Jo's forehead pressed against his chest as she slumped against him, and he spread his hands across the width of her back.

"Did that really just happen?"

"Fury barking orders while your hand was on my ass? Oh yeah," she laughed as she sat back up. "I know we're gonna have to talk about this later, or maybe not do so much talking, but we've got a mission. It must be pretty bad if Fury's askin' for Hulk, so…bad guys now and fucktastic kissing later?"

"I'm okay with that," he said, just a little breathlessly.

"Good. That's good. I need to get dressed." She rolled off of him and the bed, and he watched as she hurried over to her closet and disappeared inside. He quickly slipped out of her room and over into his own, right next to door. He changed into a pair of pants that he didn't particularly care for, decided to leave his shirt off since it'd just get shredded anyway, and didn't bother with shoes. When he stepped back into Jo's room, she was sitting on the edge of the bed and bent over to tug her shoes on. She hadn't noticed him yet, so he took a moment to just breathe. Her long hair was brushed and piled on top of her head, she had changed into a clean tank top (dark blue this time), and her faded jeans clung to her legs. The boots she was putting on looked heavy and possibly steel-toed.

"Holy fuck, Doc, you can't just do that." Her voice snapped his gaze back to her face, and the skin around her eyes and mouth was pulled tight. Like she was tense.

"Do what?" Her face softened as she smiled, and her hands dangled between her spread knees.

"Lean in a girl's doorway shirtless and rumpled. It might give her ideas." Heat rushed through him and settled in his cheeks, and he ducked his head to hide his blush.

"We should probably," he said and waved his hand. Jo got to her feet and walked over to him, and Bruce felt like he was rooted to the spot as she pressed up against him. The doorway was pressing painfully against his spine, but Jo's soft breasts were cushioned against his chest and her lips moved against his like she couldn't get enough. When she pulled back, the skin around her lips was red from where he'd forgotten to shave and her eyes were wide enough to show the whites.

"Let's go beat up some baddies, yeah? And later, let's celebrate." She was walking off before he could come up with a reply, and he lightly shook his head as he hurried behind her. He didn't have time to think about what just happened; there would be plenty of time for that later. Right now, he needed to wake Hulk up and get to work. He also needed to stop looking at Jo's ass as she hurried out the front door. There was an extra sway in her step as they walked towards the front gate, and she winked at him over her shoulder. Bruce tried not to blush, again, and went back to working on Hulk. The big guy came awake with a roar and sleepy eyes blinked down at Jo a moment later.

"Smash now?" The question should have sounded angry or menacing, but it mostly just sounded curious.

"That's right, big guy. We both get to do some smashin' today. You mind giving me a lift?" Bruce felt Hulk's giant hand wrapping around Jo's torso and then she was sitting on Hulk's shoulder.

"Where?" Hulk asked.

"_I'll tell you the way_." Hulk huffed at Bruce, placed a hand across Jo's thighs to keep her steady, and started running. Once they got a little closer, it wasn't hard to find Ben and Johnny.

"Where do you want us?!" Jo called as they got closer.

"Hulk can take over the tin can! You go for the blaster!" Despite the chaos around them, Jo ran a hand through Hulk's hair before jumping off his shoulder and throwing herself into an explosion. Just another day on the job.

**.xXx.**

"Please tell me we get a day-off after that," Jo groaned. The entire area, which spanned a few blocks, was sectioned off. The destruction wasn't as bad as it could've been, but Jo still hated the look of it. She was sitting next to a broken piece of sidewalk and looking up at Director Fury, who definitely didn't look happy. Well, he looked less happy than he usually did.

"Bug! Go make sure the perimeter is secure!" A woman in the standard agent jumpsuit hurried off, and Jo cocked an eyebrow at the imposing director.

"Hill off roundin' up baddies?" Fury glared down at her with one eye, and Jo just grinned up at him. He couldn't technically do anything to her, since she wasn't a SHIELD agent.

"I second the day off," Johnny said and threw himself down onto the ground next to her. He slung an arm around her shoulders and shook her hard enough for some hair to flop against her face. She caught a peek of Hulk and Ben walking their way, and Fury spared a glance at them.

"From now on, I'm gonna have a team of baby agents stationed everywhere. You guys were shit today, so rest up and maybe next time, you'll actually catch them all."

"Hey! Two out of four isn't bad!" Johnny protested.

"Yeah, it is. We should have got them all, but all we got was Vapor and X-Ray," Ben grumbled.

"Exactly! Me and Jo got our guys! You two are the ones who messed up," Johnny said and actually pointed a finger. Jo threw an elbow in his chest and used the momentum of the hit to roll to her feet.

"They won't be able to resist coming back, and we'll get them then. Right, big guy?" Hulk huffed and looked away from her, and Jo definitely didn't pout.

"Yeah, right. Go home, you two, and rest up. Come on, Johnny," Ben said and hauled the guy to his feet.

"All of you stay alert and keep your comms on you! Bug, let's get the hell out of here!" The short-haired agent rolled her eyes, which Jo saw as daring and hilarious, before following after him. Hulk started walking back in the direction of the mansion, and Jo fell into step beside him.

"What's wrong, big guy?" She waited until they were away from the majority of the destruction before asking, and Hulk huffed again.

"Hulk lost. Hulk never loses." Jo reached over to pat somewhere in the vague area of his elbow and smiled up at him even though he wasn't looking at her.

"You didn't lose. The only way you lose is if you die, and you're clearly very much alive. There'll be another fight, and you'll get him then." Hulk's huff was more of a snort this time, and Jo racked her brain for a way to comfort him.

"Still angry. Tin can not very strong, not like Hulk. Hulk was…" Jo watched the way his brow furrowed and took a little peek inside his mind. She couldn't hear Bruce, but she could feel his presence buried deep inside Hulk's mind. It almost felt like he was meditating, which was like thinking while locked inside of his own mind. It was all very confusing.

"Distracted. You were distracted." Hulk huffed and nodded, and Jo figured that was going to be his only response. "Tony wanted it to be a surprise but shit happened, so I'm takin' over. The third sublevel basement is more than just a precautionary containment whatever; it's a training room for you. It's a place where you can smash to your heart's content."

Hulk didn't say anything, but he didn't need to. They walked silently down the streets with only a few strange looks from other people, and Jo was thankful that they kept their distance. She wasn't worried about Hulk hurting anyone; she just didn't feel like dealing with anyone right now. The asshole, X-Ray, blew her up pretty good. Something told her she was gonna be sore for a few days, but it was something she could deal with. She was alive, and the Fantastic Knock-Offs didn't leave any casualties in their wake. Jo pressed her thumb against the front door once they reached the mansion, and the two of them paused in the foyer. Jo was gonna take the stairs to her room and shower, and Hulk was more than likely going to head down to the basement to work off his lingering anger.

"Jo rest and heal," Hulk said and poked her shoulder. Jo reached forward to grab his massive hand in both of hers and made sure to look in his eyes.

"Smash until you feel better but don't overdo it, okay? Hulk needs to rest and heal some too." Hulk huffed with a nod and gently pulled his hand away before walking off to where the elevator was. Well, at least she tried. Now she was going to take Hulk's advice and go take a nap. Maybe, if she was lucky, she'd have a nice dream about his alter ego. A dream where there are no interruptions.

* * *

**Finis: **Ben Grimm (Thing) and Johnny Storm (Human Torch) are both members of The Fantastic Four. I think that if Reed and Susan left them on their own, they'd kill each other. They'll be popping up periodically because I love them. The bad guys at the end are a supervillain group known as the U-Foes. I called them the Fantastic Knock-Offs because they went into space in the hopes of gaining superpowers like the Fantastic Four did. Feel free to Google them.


	10. Beast: Part Two

**TIB: **I'm not going to say much here. This is the second part of Jo and Bruce's story, and I had way too much fun writing it. I should be studying for finals, but I wrote this instead. I just couldn't help myself. Thank you to everyone who has read! As well as added this to their story favorites and everyone who's following it. I'd thank you all individually, but that would probably be weird. And a special **THANK YOU** to my reviewers!

* * *

"_I'll eat you up, I love you so!"  
__**Maurice Sendak, Where The Wild Things Are  
**__**Misread, on purpose, by Camille Holbrook**_

**.xXx.**

**Chapter Ten  
****You Be The Beast  
****Part Two**

* * *

**August 3, 2014**

After a really hot shower and a refreshing nap that lasted until the following morning, Jo snagged her current book and headed down to the gym. She could have read in her room, the dining room, the library, or even in the kitchen. There were probably at least a dozen more comfortable places to read, but she liked the gym. It was big, the music she had playing filled up all the empty space, and she felt at home in a place where acts of violence were common. She was reading the part where the handsome duke was apologizing to his ladylove for sleeping with her older sister while he was drunk when the door opened quietly.

"Hiya, Doc," she said as she rolled from her stomach to a sitting position. She left her book where it was laying, finding her place wouldn't be that difficult, and looked across the gym to the doorway.

"Hi, Jo." His voice was still rough from sleep, and Jo flushed as she remembered why she knew what the Doc's I-just-woke-up voice sounded like. The memory made her think about the missing section of her large intestine, but the more recent memory of the way his stubble rubbed against the sensitive skin around her lips was closer to the forefront.

"Sleep okay? How's Hulk?" Something happened around his eyes, but Jo wasn't sure what it was. It was a shift of _something_, but fuck, he looked good just standing there. His pajama pants were so long that she could just make out his bare toes, and the fuzzy red robe wrapped around his upper body swallowed him. His hair was all sleep rumpled, and Jo couldn't quite explain why she wanted to go bury her fingers in his hair and drag him back to bed.

Bruce wasn't perfect, she got that, but who was? He wasn't flashy and didn't bring attention to himself, but she couldn't look away from him. And she's tried. The past week has been like a specially designed torture just to test her restraint. After the whole nightmare sharing thing, she should've been avoiding him. A huge part of her wanted to hide from him and never meet his eyes again, but she couldn't _look away_. The guys she'd been with in the past had been confident, bordering on cocky (sometimes taking it to whole new levels), and far from shy. Now there's Bruce, who's insanely strong and maddeningly gentle. Jo wants Bruce because he's broken and she doesn't want to fix him like you're supposed to fix broken boys. Instead she wants to hold him closer so they can be broken together, so all of their insecurities and nightmares can slip through their cracks and crash against each other.

In other words, Bruce Banner scares the ever living fuck out of her. At least with ROSE she knew what to expect. Pain was on a continuous loop in that place. Now? Now she doesn't know what to expect; it could be wonderful, it could be horrible, or it could be some weird ass combination of the two. Jo's dated, and fucked, and maybe even fell in love once or twice. But she's never felt like this.

"What do you want from me?" The question jolted her out of the weird murmurings of her own mind, and she blinked Bruce's form back into focus. He was still leaning in the doorway, with his too big robe and porcupine hair. Was he wearing a shirt under the robe? Was he still all sleep warm from his blankets?

"Bruce, I…" She let the thought die out and gently looked into his mind. She didn't know what to say, because she didn't know what she wanted (_runstayhidetouch_). Her mind hit against a brick wall that felt electrified, and she flinched as she pulled herself away. Bruce's brows were drawn down and his lips were pinched into a tight line. She wanted to smooth a hand across the grooves and make him smile, and the other side of her wanted to go crawl in a corner and hide her shame. Not that she was ashamed. Telepaths read minds; it's in her DNA.

"No poking around inside of my mind to tell me what you think I want to hear. What do you want from me?" She didn't have an answer, not yet. Why was he asking her this now anyway? They kissed, it was amazing (_fucktastic_), so couldn't they enjoy that for just a little bit longer?

"I…want…you…to…" Jo paused and tried to think, but she wasn't good at thinking under pressure. She was better at doing. Doing was her thing. "Dance with me. I want you to dance with me."

"I'm not your favorite dance partner." It wasn't said with any kind of malice or jealousy, it was just a statement. No, it was just a fact.

"No, Clint is, but he isn't here right now and I think better when I'm moving around. So come dance with me. JARVIS, one-oh-nine, please." The AI didn't say anything, just started the music.

"_One, two, three."_ Jo was on her feet now with one hand outstretched, and she thought for a moment that Bruce was going to turn her down. Then he pushed off from the doorway and walked towards her. He ignored her hand, and Jo let it fall back to her side as he loosened the belt of his robe and dropped the giant thing next to her book. He was shirtless under the robe. This was a very serious situation, but Jo was torn between shouting a hurrah! at the ceiling and thanking every god out there. Or just, you know, jumping on the half-naked man that scared and aroused her at equal turns. He turned to her then and offered his hand, and how could she say no? She slipped her hand into his and schooled her face into a blank expression as the song began in earnest.

"_Where have all the good men gone? And where are all the gods? Where's the streetwise Hercules to fight the rising odds? Isn't there a white knight? Upon a fiery steed? Late at night, I toss and turn and dream of what I need."_

"This isn't Bonnie Tyler," Bruce said as the chorus started up. Jo realized she was looking over his shoulder to avoid looking at him, and she lowered her gaze to his bare shoulder. He had a single freckle on the top of his shoulder, his left one but on her right, and she wanted to lick it. Maybe nibble it a bit.

"It's a remake they made for Footloose. I love Bonnie, I feel like we could bond over eating sand, but I like this version. It's sweeter and easier to dance to." Her fingers were lightly touching against his biceps, like the way someone lets their hand hover just over the stove eye to see if it's still hot. His hands were a bit firmer on her hips but still loose, like she could move away from him at any moment if she wanted to. She didn't.

"_Somewhere after midnight, in my wildest fantasies. Somewhere just beyond my reach, there's someone reaching back for me. Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat. Isn't there a superman, to sweep me off my feet?"_

"What are we doing, Jo?" Okay, Jo had to remind herself, he wasn't Clint. Bruce wasn't going to lose himself in the music and turn off his brain for a bit. He was constantly thinking, and now he was thinking behind an electric brick wall so she couldn't cheat. (Somewhere, in the back of her mind, the realization that she had come to depend on the telepathy was both terrifying and nauseating.)

"We're dancing, Bruce. Maybe not the best dance in the world, but dancing just the same." She didn't mean to snap, she actually liked the Doc enough to not snap, but she was starting to feel a little cornered. Apparently, while she'd been napping and melting her brain with eighteenth century Harlequin smut, Bruce had been analyzing everything that happened between them.

"It's not a very difficult question. Whatever you want to say, just say it. I promise not to get angry." There was a tense set to his jaw, but his hold on her hips was just as light as ever.

"Don't feed me that bullshit, Doc. Get angry all you want; me and Hulk are bros." His dark brown eyes caught and held hers, and Jo couldn't look away. Not now that she was actually looking.

"Two days ago, you laid around my lab reading one of your romance novels out loud and laughed until your face turned blue. You said they were all delusional, and that love was for loons and people trying to make themselves feel better for whatever vice they were trying to hide. The words "that's why I don't do relationships" actually came out of your mouth. Then yesterday, we kissed. Would you have gone further if we hadn't been interrupted?"

"Yes." The answer slipped right out of her, because she really wasn't thinking clearly. Bruce's eyes took turns darkening and flashing, and it made her blood feel like it was on fire and her skin itch.

"I won't do that. Not with you," he said with a set line to his jaw. Jo felt the blood rushing to her head and her temples were pulsing with what was going to be the mother of all headaches (since her healing was a little big sluggish on anything that wasn't fatal).

"I'm not good enough for you to sleep with?" Now that the words were out, she didn't know if she was more angry or hurt. She knew she wasn't everyone's idea of beautiful, but Bruce hadn't seemed to mind all the curves when they were cocooned in her bed.

"I respect you, and our friendship, too much to have a one-night stand. I don't have a lot of friends, and I am not losing one just because hormones got the best of us." Jo stopped moving and stayed rooted to the spot, and Bruce let go of her as he took a quick step back. Her hands fell limply against her sides, and she tried to make sense of the whooshing sound between her ears. It was like riding a tornado under water.

"I don't want a one-off." It wasn't until she said it that she realized just how true it was.

"Why? Don't say that just because you think it's what I want. Tell me why you want an emotionally stunted and socially awkward man who, up until a year ago, was absolutely terrified of sex because he turns into a giant green monster capable of leveling entire cities. I may have an understanding with Hulk now, but that doesn't change anything. I'm still…I'm still…"

"Broken?" His eyes snapped to hers, and Jo made a point not to look away. "You're broken and all torn up about past misdeeds. I get it now. Somewhere between our relaxed makeout session and now, you've sat down and thought up all the reasons why you shouldn't be happy. I get that, I do, but do not take it out on me. You wanna know why I don't want a one-off?"

"I already asked once." It was like a staring match before the shootout on main street, and they were both wearing bulletproof vests that would save them from dying but still leave dark bruises behind.

"Because you scare me, Bruce. You, not Hulk. Hulk is both childlike and a helluva lot smarter than even you give him credit for sometimes, but he's simple compared to you. You listened to me freak out over hallucinations, and you put up with my drunk ramblings. You saw some of what they did to me and instead of leaving me alone, you ripped off a piece of yourself and handed it to me. People don't just do that, Bruce. They tell people that they're sorry that something so awful happened to them, give them a pat on the back, and then walk the fuck away. But you? You listened to the sad tale and raised me one better. And you…"

"What?" Somewhere in the middle of her speech, around the hallucination part, Jo looked down at her bare feet. Sweet fuck, she was wearing another pair of Tony's silk boxers (a glaring orange this time) and a loose tee shirt. She looked like shit and was trying to give some grand speech. When she looked up, Bruce was staring at her like she was a ghost that could disappear at any moment.

"The guys I've been with, they either know exactly who and what I am or they know enough of my personality to reach an opinion that's close enough to the truth. I'm not some petite little girl; I'm a little rough around the edges. I can take whatever they can dish out and then scream for them to go a little harder. They don't have to be careful with me, so they're not."

The tops of Bruce's cheeks were dusted a light pink, and Jo wanted to press her fingers against the skin to feel the heat just underneath. Not yet though. She had to get this out, to finish it.

"Yesterday, when you kissed me…it was gentle. You touched me like you could see all the cracks, and you didn't want to break me. No one's ever done that before. Not like you did, and I don't give a shit if it's selfish, but I want that. We're gonna have to work at it if we decide to be a "we," but I think I can do it for you. We already know the worst parts of each other, so how bad can it be?"

"You want there to be an us?" Bruce looked completely shocked, and it was a feeling that Jo could understand. She felt shocked every time she opened her mouth and words came pouring out, but it wasn't any less true. She wanted this strange doctor, with his porcupine hair and big green other half, all to herself. For as long as she could have him.

"Yeah, I want there to be an us. If you'll have me." She felt the corners of her lips twitching and dipped her chin down, because she couldn't look at him right now. Every time he let their eyes connect, she got stuck staring at him like he was the physical representation of the oxygen she needed to breathe. She felt rough fingertips tipping her face up, and she met Bruce's eyes. He didn't say anything, just let his eyes move back and forth as he looked at her. Like he was thinking.

"_I'll meet a hero, and then we'll dance 'til the morning light. Dreaming, he'll lead me. Held tight, tonight's the night."_ JARVIS must have the song on repeat, but this was the first time Jo had registered the song in a while. And Bruce was still just looking at her.

"I'll stay awake for days in the lab and probably forget to talk to you," Bruce said quietly. She could feel his warm breath tickling her lips, he was so _close_, but she needed him to make the first move.

"I leave dirty clothes on the floor and get crumbs in the bed," Jo countered.

"_I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light. He's gotta be sure, he's gotta be soon. And he's gotta be larger than life, larger than life."_

Bruce's nose brushed against hers, and she held her breath as she waited for what came next. She didn't have to wait long. He caught her bottom lip between his teeth, and she felt his tongue swiping across the caught flesh, but she had to make sure. Hands tightened on his shoulders as Jo ignored her earlier thought of testing those very same shoulders with her teeth, and she pushed herself back just the tiniest bit. She felt his bare stomach moving as he breathed, and the shifting of the thin material between them caused her skin to break out in gooseflesh. He was staring at her, she was staring at him, and why weren't they joined at the lips again? Oh, right.

"Just to clear things up, we're not stopping this time, right? Because I've been all tense and tingly since the last time," she breathed out. She could take care of it herself, sure, but she didn't want to. Not when there was a much better option.

"Are you sure you don't want to wait?" He was way too nice to her, and Jo could already tell that she didn't deserve him. She was going to keep him anyway and work at deserving him though, hopefully without fucking it up along the way.

"The next time I walk in here, I want my thighs to shake from the good memories." Being all breathy didn't work with a voice as rough as hers, but her purr was pretty good. Good enough to darken Bruce's eyes and have him wrap his arms around her so tight that it felt like they were fused together.

This time his lips devoured hers, and she felt almost helpless against the onslaught. Her lips were hot and sensitive, she couldn't breathe, and she couldn't stop. Fingers tore at the loose pants barely hanging onto his hips and at the elastic waistband of her boxers, and they both stumbled out of their bottoms without parting. It wasn't easy, Jo bit Bruce's lip hard enough to make him hiss into her mouth, but they managed it. Her fingers traced across his hips before moving onto the expanse of his back, and she felt his hands helplessly pulling at her shirt. Right, she needed to get that off. Now that she was thinking about it, she was almost desperate to feel his skin against hers. She ripped her lips away from his and hurriedly stripped the shirt off. If her arm got stuck for a moment or two, Bruce was a gentleman and didn't mention it.

"We should, probably, slow down." Jo was happy to note that he was breathing just as hard as she was, and she dropped the shirt to the floor.

"Why? You're not worried about Hulk, are you?" She knew before that the change was triggered by his heart rate, to some extent, but he was in control now. Well, they were both in control.

"What? No, he's sleeping. I told him I needed some time alone, and I promised him he could come out later. I think we should take it slow." They were naked, alone together, with nothing to interrupt them. Why were they talking?

"I think we've established that I'm not the average girl. I'm not saying I'm a whore or anything, but I have done this before."

"You've fucked before, I know." For some reason, Bruce saying such a naughty word sent heat running through her. That was something worth looking into later. "I don't want that, not this time. I want it be like our first kiss."

"Oh." A shiver raced down her spine, and she turned her face into Bruce's palm when he cupped her cheek. So far he hadn't tried to grab her breasts or spread her legs, and Jo was starting to feel a little lost. It was like being a virgin all over again and not knowing where to put her hands. As Bruce's lips touched hers, softly this time, Jo just let herself fall into it. This wasn't just some guy racing her to the finish line. This was Bruce, the broken doctor with lips softened from her tongue and rough fingers gently tracing her spine.

"You don't have to hold back with me," he whispered with a kiss to the base of her throat. It was a mirror of yesterday, her own words and actions being used against her. Bruce was warm and solid where he was pressed against her, and Jo decided, _fuck it_. She fell apart in his arms with a moan torn out of her throat, and Bruce caught her with sweet kisses. She laughed, a quiet and breathless sound, as he laid her back against his giant fluffy robe. His body easily fit between the space between her legs, almost where she wanted him to be, and he peppered kisses against her face and throat just to hear her laugh again.

"I'm scared, Bruce." One of his hands was tangled with hers while the other stroked the soft skin of her inner thigh, and his warm breath puffed out against her bellybutton.

"Me too."

Normally when Jo let herself get lost with another person, time sped up as she tried to reach that place where her mind went completely silent. With Bruce, it wasn't like that. Seconds stretched into hours as he kept her right on the edge, until her thighs were shaking and sweat pooled between her breasts. No one had ever paid so much attention to her body, not with such detail. Rough fingertips, blunt teeth, a teasing tongue, soothing lips…he had her ready to fly apart with nothing but light touches. Jo never knew that the inside of her right knee was ticklish until Bruce's tongue swiped over the spot and made her giggle like a little girl. The giggles disappeared into gasps as he nipped at her thigh, and she was right back to straining for the end but being denied.

When Bruce finally, _finally_, slipped inside of her, Jo was so worked up that it was painful in the sweetest way. Neither one of them was going to last long. Jo was at the point of begging five minutes and six hickeys ago, and she could feel Bruce shaking lightly as she scraped her nails across his shoulders. This time when she reached her peak, Bruce let her fall off the edge. And it was a fall, with a soft landing. She came with a sob, and a scream, a curse, and a prayer. She was trying to get her breath back when Bruce went still, and her body gave a rolling shiver to arch her back against the sensation. Dark hazel eyes traced the tensing of Bruce's biceps, and she locked her thighs around his waist so he couldn't move. Bruce pulled his face away from her neck to look at her, but not before tasting the salty skin stretched over her still pounding pulse.

"Just for a little bit, okay? I just need you to stay, just like this, for just a little bit." Bruce smiled, a shy little twitch of his lips, and he nodded. Jo relaxed the muscles in her aching thighs and sighed when Bruce settled more fully against her with his face tucked back into her neck. His hands were curled in her hair and propped on the floor so he could somewhat hold himself up, and Jo let her fingers dance to a silent tune across the tops of his shoulders. It wasn't comfortable for either of them, they were both sore and sweaty, and a shower was needed as soon as possible. For now though, for just this one moment, they were okay.

**.xXx.**

"Where'd you learn to do that?" Bruce's quiet laugh gently shook her body, and Jo tipped her face up to look at him. They were almost in the exact same sleeping position as the other day, after what Jo has taken to calling The Dream Walking Incident. She's stretched out over Bruce, and he has one hand in her hair and the other lightly gripping her thigh. The only main difference is the lack of clothing. After a shower that was equally hot and sweet (Jo thought people washing each other's hair was just for the movies), they slipped on some semblance of clothes and crawled into Bruce's bed. Clothes was equal to the same loose pajama pants as earlier for Bruce and just a pair of panties and one of Bruce's few tee shirts for Jo. As for why Bruce's bed, Jo hadn't been lying about the crumbs.

"It's not really something you learn. It's more of an…instinct." Bruce was twirling some of her hair around his finger, and Jo started absently mirroring the motion with his chest hair.

"Your instincts are awesome. Best instincts ever. My thighs are still wobbly." Bruce hummed in the back of his throat, and Jo nuzzled against him a little more. They were both clean and sated now; it was almost like being drunk, but with less nausea. Jo's mind was lazily flicking around, touching on ideas without really delving too deep, right on the edge of sleep. It's that state somewhere between being awake and completely asleep.

"What are you thinking about?" Bruce's words stirred her, just a bit, and she walked her fingers down his tensing stomach muscles.

"My nightmare." Her head was still a bit fuzzy, but she didn't think her words were slurred.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Jo turned her head to look up at him and smiled at the almost uncomfortable looking smile on his face. He wanted to be supportive, but no one wants nightmare-talk to ruin the afterglow.

"I wasn't thinkin' about it like that. It's just…hmm, I don't know how to explain it. I just don't know why I had it," she sighed.

"You went through a very traumatic experience. Nightmares are common."

"Thanks, Doc. I had no idea." Bruce quirked a brow at her, and Jo huffed. "I dealt with what happened, you know? I know torture kinda leaves its mark for evermore and all that PTSD bullshit, but I dealt with what happened. I did every cliché, oh woe is me, my life sucks therapy. I screamed at the desert night sky for all of the horrible things that were done to me. I punched mountainsides until I could see the bones in my hands so I could wash out all the anger for being so helpless, for being the victim. I cried into the ocean for the people I killed while I was being held, because that nurse wasn't the last."

"That doesn't sound very healthy." Jo shrugged, because she knew it was true.

"I handled it; I accepted it. Something really bad happened to me, but I'm not the only one who's had bad things happen to them. What happened to me wasn't even all that bad compared to some people, and I know that now. What I'm trying to say is, I haven't had a nightmare about ROSE in around five years. Five years without the cold sweats and the god-awful screaming, so why now?"

"Maybe it's all the fighting you've been doing?" Bruce's hands were solid weights against her, keeping her anchored. She reached down to trace the knuckles braced over her thigh.

"No, that's not it. I've been doing random little missions for SHIELD since they busted me out. I'm not exactly proud of the things I've done, but I've killed people and everything since then without the nightmares popping up."

"You can't think of any other triggers?" Jo shook her head and didn't even wince when some of her hair pulled.

"Just one of those weird things, I guess. I shouldn't have anymore, so there's that. It means we'll have a better chance of sleeping in," she said with a big grin. Bruce reached up to roll his fingers against her scalp, and Jo arched into the touch.

"If I'm gone when you wake up, I'll either be in the lab or Hulk will be…somewhere."

"Okay. Talk to me about your latest experiment until I fall asleep?" Jo closed her eyes as Bruce started talking, and that euphoric hazy feeling came back. The last thing Jo remembered was Bruce's quiet steady voice, and the feeling of his strong heartbeat against her palm.

**.xXx.**

Jo woke up slowly and alone, which was the exact opposite of how she fell asleep. For a moment she almost thought she'd dreamed the past twenty-four hours, but she definitely wasn't in her own bed and her thighs still had that good stretched feeling to them. She rolled her neck as she slowly sat up and glanced around the Doc's room. It was a lot cleaner than hers, but he didn't have a lot of personal things laying around. She'd have to ask about that. Her fingers rolled the bottom of her shirt, until she remembered the shirt wasn't hers. It was Bruce's. Because she had a nightmare, and they kissed. Then someone attacked the city, they napped, they had a weird argument, and they had sex. Jo slept in Bruce's bed this morning…had all of that really happened in the span of twenty-four hours?

"JARVIS? What's the date and time?" Everything was still a bit fuzzy, but she was still waking up. Sometimes it took a moment.

"August the third, and it is one-seventeen in the afternoon. Would you like to know today's headlines as well?" Jo glared up at the ceiling, because JARVIS knows how much she hates newspapers. They never tell the whole truth. One-seventeen. Twenty-four hours ago, Jo was stuck in a horrible nightmare. Now she was so happy that she was scared her face was going to get stuck in a permanent smile.

"Very funny. You know the news gives me a rash. Where's Bruce?" Her bare feet were on the floor now, and she was still plucking at the plain gray shirt. The color looked good against her hot pink panties.

"Hulk is currently in sub-basement two."

"Is he okay?"

"He is quite alright, Miss Jo. I would have alerted you if anything were amiss." JARVIS sounded almost offended, and Jo rolled her eyes. JARVIS was nowhere near Tony's level of divadom, but it was easy to tell who his creator was.

"I know you would have, buddy, but it never hurts to ask. I guess I'll go grab some lunch and then head downstairs." Lunch wound up being a turkey sandwich because Jo didn't feel like cooking, and she was anxious to get down to sub-basement two. Hulk shouldn't be as angry as the day before, so maybe she'd get a chance to watch him do his thing.

When she stepped off the elevator, the corridor was empty. She could hear Hulk's growling voice farther down, so she quietly made her way towards his voice. She could've made noise and announced herself, since Hulk seemed to like her just fine, but she was curious. There weren't any sounds of fighting or smashing, just the sound of Hulk's rumbling voice. Jo stopped where the corridor opened into a cavernous room and, since Hulk's back was to her, took a good look around. The room had giant rocks and metal beams, along with some giant metal balls and boxes, but Hulk wasn't messing with any of that. Instead he was sitting on the ground, with his back to the corridor where Jo was standing so she couldn't get a good look at what he was doing. So she listened.

"Th-ey…ro-ar-ed…th-eir…terrrrible…ro-ars…an, and…g-g-nashed…th-eir…terrrrrible…teeeeeth." Even as choppy as Hulk's speech was, Jo could recognize the line. If she closed her eyes, she'd be able to hear her Ma whispering into her ear, _"And when he came to the place where the wild things are, they roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth."_

"Hulk?" She watched the way the giant muscles bunched under his green skin, and she smiled when green eyes peeked over his shoulder. He looked like a kid who'd just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, and Jo had to blink rapidly to get rid of her stupid tears.

"Jo sneak up on Hu-…me." Jo blinked at that and gently looked into Hulk's mind.

"_I was teaching him how to speak properly before we came here, but sometimes he forgets when there's a lot going on. We're working on it again. He's getting better,"_ Bruce said quietly. It was so weird hearing Bruce without seeing him, but Jo understood what he was saying. Lately whenever Hulk made an appearance, it was in a high-stress situation. Except for when he was sparring with Thor, but he was usually too busy fighting then to have a chat.

"_**Not stupid, Banner."**_

"_I know you're not stupid. Jo knows it too."_ Hulk was still looking at her, and Jo watched the way his eyes flashed from brown to green as the two talked.

"I've known it all along. So, Hulk, will you read to me? _Where The Wild Things Are_ is my favorite book." Hulk huffed and turned back around, which Jo took as an invitation. She walked around the big guy and after a moment of thinking decided to just go for it. Bruce was Hulk and Hulk was Bruce; she was safe with both of them. She crawled up and sat on top of one thigh, and Hulk's giant hand rested against her side so he could hold her against him. Jo pulled her legs up and pressed her cheek against his stomach, and the position was insanely comfortable. Jo was a tank, so she didn't need anyone else to make her feel safe. Sitting in Hulk's lap and being surrounded by the big green guy was the safest she'd felt in a long time.

"Hu—I start at the beginning?" The book was in the air in front of Hulk's face, courtesy of JARVIS.

"That's the best way to start a story." She smiled up at him, and Hulk huffed as the first page showed.

"The…night…Max…wo-re…his…w-wol-f…s-uu-t." Jo closed her eyes and let Hulk's measured breathing rock her, and she let Hulk read at his own pace. When he finished and wanted to read it again, but didn't want to say that he wanted to read it again, Jo asked for him to tell the story one more time. Then another time. And come on, big guy, one last story time? Jo wasn't sure how long they sat in the basement with Hulk reading, but he got it to the point where he knew every word. There were no more pauses or mix-ups; he could read it perfectly, complete with sound effects.

"Where he found his supper waiting for him, and it was still hot," Hulk finished. Jo twisted around to look up at the big guy and grinned as big as she could. Hulk looked so proud of himself, Jo could feel it reverberating inside of his mind and mixing with Bruce's own pride, and she felt herself tearing up again. This whole crying thing really needed to stop.

"Good job, big guy!" She wanted to say more, about how ridiculously awesome Hulk was, but she was still worried about the waterworks.

"I did good job?" She could see, from _Hulk's_ memories, a small little Bruce reading alone. Sometimes his mother would kiss his cheek and tell him that he was a good little boy, but Bruce always had to hide. He started reading at such a young age, and it just made his father that much more suspicious. And abusive. Yeah, okay, that was definitely a tear tickling her cheek. Before any more could squeeze out, Jo got to her feet and was able to climb up Hulk's body. He gave her a boost so that she was sitting on his shoulder, and she dropped her forehead to his temple for just a moment.

"You did an amazing job, Hulk. I knew you could do it, and I'm _so_ proud of you." She placed a gentle kiss on Hulk's cheek and then nuzzled against the spot. The big guy was starved for affection, she could feel that now. The only touch he knew came from bullets and bombs, and it wasn't fair. Hulk deserved kindness, and Jo was going to make sure he got it.

"Jo likes me." She laughed at the sound of his smug tone, and she felt Bruce shifting inside of his mind. She knew he was aware of everything, but he was letting Hulk stay in control.

"Of course I do. Don't tell Bruce, but you're my favorite." Hulk huffed, but Jo could tell he was happy. "Now, how about reading me another story?"

"If you want," Hulk huffed out.

"I do," Jo said quickly. Hulk reached up to lay a hand over her thighs, keeping her steady, as JARVIS pulled up another book. Jo settled herself more comfortably on Hulk's shoulder and waited for storytime to begin.

**.xXx.**

For the second time, in one day, Jo woke up alone in Bruce's bed. The last thing she remembered was Hulk's rumbling voice, so she must have fell asleep while he was reading. It was like being five all over again and drifting off as Ma read her a bedtime story. She rolled her shoulders and arched her back to pop out all the kinks and looked around. She was definitely the only one in the room, and there wasn't any light coming from behind Bruce's curtains. On the plus side, her body felt mostly healed up now. Waking up pain-free was always a good thing.

"Hey, JARVIS? What time is it now?"

"Eight-forty, Miss Jo. I trust you slept well?"

"Like a baby. How's Hulk?"

"Dr. Banner is currently in his lab." One day, she was going to ask after one of them while they were in control instead of always getting the wrong personality.

"Is there anything worth cooking downstairs?"

"Master Stark ordered some steaks before leaving; they arrived yesterday."

"Steak, huh? I could go for steak. Oh! And I picked up some potatoes! I'm thinking home fries. Any thoughts, JARVIS?" Jo was standing now and trying to twist her hair back up on top of her head; she needed to find a brush.

"You and Doctor Banner have been very active the past few days; I believe the meal could help restore your strength."

"Did you just make a dig at my sex life? Does Tony know I have a sex life?"

"I would never report such a private affair, Miss Jo." That was an answer that wasn't really an answer, but Jo wasn't going to push it. If Tony knew, she'd know. Mainly because Tony wouldn't be able to help himself from saying something. With that last comforting thought, Jo skipped to her room to brush out her hair before hurrying down to the kitchen.

JARVIS, being the amazing AI that he was, played her some upbeat music as she cooked. She danced, she grilled, she fried, and life was good. It didn't take any time at all for the steaks to grill up and the fries to fry, and she hummed quietly under her breath as she danced in the elevator up to Bruce's lab. The doctor didn't move at all when she walked inside, so Jo assumed he was hyper focused and didn't even notice her presence. His back was to her too, so all she could see was the loose sweatpants he was wearing and a white lab coat. His head was bent over a microscope, and his shoulders looked tense as he worked. Jo had an urge to go work the knots out…and then she realized, she _could_. She was allowed to touch and soothe, because they were together now, right?

Without saying anything, she walked across the lab and settled her hands on Bruce's shoulders. He tensed up for just a moment before relaxing, and Jo smiled when he didn't even look away from his microscope. She could feel his mind and was completely confused by all the thoughts racing through it, so she just focused on what she was good at. Which right now meant massaging the tense knots out of his shoulders and back. After a few minutes, Bruce sat up and leaned back. The back of his head pressed against her sternum, and Jo swooped down to press a kiss against his forehead. Right under his curls.

"I cooked dinner, whenever you're ready." Bruce spun around on his stool and just looked up at her, and Jo shuffled a bit under the scrutiny. "It's just dinner. I've been cooking it for us for over a week, so it's nothing special."

"You…you stayed with him," Bruce said quietly. He was looking at her from under his hair; it was a move that Jo knew well. Whenever she felt shy, or scared, or vulnerable, she hid under the weight of her hair. It was one of the reasons why having it shaved off had been so horrible.

"Hulk? He's a great storyteller," she said with a gentle smile. Bruce's mind was moving too fast for her to really focus, so she couldn't tell if Hulk was listening or not.

"He's sleeping right now," Bruce said, as if he was the one that could hear thoughts.

"He sleeps a lot; is that normal?" It seemed like if Hulk wasn't physically out, for the most part, he was sleeping.

"He's never really had a chance to sleep. Before, when he was locked in the dark, I don't think he could sleep." Bruce wouldn't meet her eyes, and Jo thought she understood. Hulk was always awake and hidden away, just waiting for a chance to come out. To come out of the dark. At least, that's what she was picking up.

"Don't sweat it, Doc. You're makin' up for all that now. I mean, you're teachin' him how to _read_. He's pickin' up pretty fast too."

"I was thinking of moving to chapter books next week. I just, you stayed with him. You encouraged him. I wanted to say thank you." Bruce looked so sweet and shy, like he was still worried about rejection, and how could Jo resist that? She grabbed fistfuls of his hair and molded her lips to his, and she sighed once she felt strong hands gripping her hips. She pulled back but stayed close, so that their noses brushed and she could still feel his breath on her lips.

"Don't ever thank me for doing what any decent person would do. I know some people out there might not realize it, but Hulk's just another guy. A big green guy, sure, but he's no different than the rest of us."

"But—"

"He thinks, he feels, and he understands. That makes him no different than the rest of us. If he wants someone to read to, I'll be there. No matter what." Bruce cleared his throat as his hands flexed against her hips, and Jo's lips quirked at the sound.

"Dinner?"

"Right after you lose the lab coat," she said as she stepped back. Bruce's hands just hovered in the air over the empty space where her body was before he reached up to pull at his lab coat. "Fuck, Doc, are you tryin' to kill me?"

"What?" The white lab coat was resting on his now empty stool, and Jo shook her head at the confused looking doctor. One day the man would realize just what kind of effect he had on her.

"Do you always go shirtless under the lab coat? Or is this a special occasion?" He looked down at his bare torso and let his hand rest against his naked stomach. Jo had to remind herself that there was a perfectly good meal waiting downstairs, and she wasn't sure how the Doc would feel about dirtying up the lab.

"Oh, I just came up after Hulk went to sleep and I must have forgotten to grab a shirt." His hand ruffled up his hair, giving him that porcupine look that should not be arousing, and Jo groaned as she turned around to head back to the elevator.

"You should forget more often but right now it's dinnertime. Maybe we can have dessert later," Jo said as she stepped into the elevator. Bruce followed in after her, with a confused look and his stupid hair.

"Oh? What'd you make for dessert?" Jo listened as the elevator doors closed with a quiet _whoosh_ and then pulled Bruce's lips to hers. She didn't let him go until they were on the ground floor. Even then, she only stopped because JARVIS said he wasn't going to keep the door open for them any longer.

"C'mon, Doc, I'm _starving_."

* * *

**Finis: **I think, overall, this was a very sweet chapter. A little touch-and-go in the beginning, but sweet. Also, I may have actually been watching _Beauty and the Beast_ while I was writing the first half. I feel like I should point out that Harlequin romance books were a big part of my childhood. Once I got reading down good enough, my aunts would just hand me a Harlequin to go read. So I'm not hating on them; they are my childhood, and I love them.

Just out of curiosity, am I the only one that would cry over Hulk reading? Because I have accepted the fact that I'm a crier, it's just who I am, but I think there's something both sweet and a little heartbreaking about Hulk learning how to read. As for Bruce, I will never be able to resist writing him as shy and somewhat naïve. I just can't help it.

Credit! The song used is _Holding out for a Hero_, originally sung by Bonnie Tyler but being sung by Ella Mae Bowen in this chapter. She sings it beautifully, if you want to give it a listen. The book used is _Where The Wild Things Are_ by Maurice Sendak. I learned how to read with Dr. Seuss, but _Where The Wild Things Are_ is still one of my all-time favorites.


	11. Beast: Part Three

**TIB:**I don't have much to say to start off with. Nope. Well, maybe just one little thing. This chapter is dedicated to all of the readers that have massive Hulk feels and a love of citrus; I'm done with finals now, so I thought I'd give you all a little treat!

* * *

_and opening up  
__has always been  
__the hardest thing  
__until you came  
__**Lady Antebellum-Can't Take My Eyes Off You**_

**.xXx.**

**Chapter Eleven  
****You Be The Beast  
****Part Three**

* * *

**August 9, 2014**

Hulk ducked the rocky first aiming for his head, and Bruce absently felt the move. Hulk enjoyed sparring with Ben, Ben seemed to enjoy it, and so Bruce didn't have to worry. Instead he could retreat to his own little corner inside his shared mind and think. Only a week has passed since he and Jo crossed the line from relaxed friends to lovers, and Bruce is still a little surprised at how easy the transition has been. It's like nothing changed, but everything did. Bruce still spends countless hours in the lab with Jo sprawled on the couch (sometimes reading her romance books, with more sighs than insults now). She still normally fixes something for dinner, and Bruce's lunchtime is now spent teaching Hulk. Sometimes the big guy reads to Jo until she falls into her afternoon nap, and sometimes they work on math.

Bruce wasn't sure what to expect when Jo showed up three afternoons ago with poster boards, until he realized she made Hulk-sized flash cards. (Hulk is surprisingly good with addition and subtraction, and Bruce is itching to start on multiplication and division but Jo hasn't finished the new flash cards yet.) They're getting more comfortable with each other now; there's less surprise after realizing they're not alone in bed. Despite sharing one bed, Bruce's, they haven't had sex since that first time. Instead they've backtracked. Jo blushed the first time Bruce held her hand as they ate dinner, and sometimes Jo pulls Bruce down onto the couch with her so they can make out like teenagers. (Those moments are Bruce's favorite part of the day, even though they leave him aching and make it hard to concentrate. Because Jo always leaves the lab with her lips red and swollen, her long hair completely down and tangled from his fingers, and an extra sway guiding her curvy hips.)

In short, Bruce can't remember the last time he was this happy. Maybe it was when Tony Stark poked him on the hellicarrier without being afraid of the monster inside of him, or when Tony Stark told him that both he and Hulk were good. (Bruce will always consider hearing Tony's words that day as one of the happiest days of his life, because it lead him to Hulk. It lead him to the truth.) This morning when Ben and Johnny showed up asking for a spar, Jo kissed him on the cheek and said it sounded like a wonderful idea. When Hulk took his place, Jo kissed him on the cheek and told him to have fun. Bruce knew that if he ever entered into another relationship, the other person would have to accept Hulk as another part of him. He never thought a year ago, when this realization came to him, that he would be with someone who accepted Hulk for Hulk and would so easily show that acceptance in front of anyone. Bruce almost wished she had joined them, but she was up in her room either knitting or making flash cards. She was determined to knit Tony an entire wardrobe and then force him to wear it almost as much as she loved decorating Hulk's flash cards with glitter.

"Time out!" Bruce tuned back in at the sound of Jo's voice just as Hulk turned to look at her. She was standing in the doorway to the gym, and Johnny was sitting with his back to the wall a few feet over. Hulk had Ben's head in a headlock, but the man wasn't struggling to get free.

"Okay?" Hulk's speech was better, but the big guy was a little breathless.

"Bruce has a visitor, so I'll keep Ben busy until you get back," Jo grinned. Hulk huffed because they both knew something was wrong. When Jo smiled, really smiled, it was a little crooked. The left side of her lips pulled up more to show a little dimple. If she grinned, teeth and all, it meant that she was making herself smile.

"Who is the visitor?" Hulk asked. Jo shuffled from one foot to the other, and Ben slipped out of Hulk's loose hold.

"Doctor Ross."

_**"Betty,"**_ Hulk thought. The big guy was torn between wanting to see Betty and worrying about her father.

_"We're safe here, Hulk. General Ross can't hurt us anymore_," Bruce said quietly.

"I left her in the kitchen with some of your tea. I thought you might want some alone time," Jo said as she raised the clothes in her hand. Hulk walked over to her and gently took the clothes, and Jo smiled up at him. A real smile but still a little too small; Hulk couldn't see the dimple.

"I was winning." The left side of Jo's mouth quirked up, just like Hulk wanted. She reached up towards his face and flexed her fingers in what she called grabby hands, and Hulk scooped her up with the hand not holding his clothes. Fingers ruffled his hair, making it stick up, and Jo bent forward to smack her lips against Hulk's forehead.

"That's because my Hulkster always wins. Now, let me beat up on Ben for a bit while you go play nice doctor. Later you can read me a bedtime story, okay?"

"Promise?"

"Promise." Hulk smiled at her, and Bruce could feel his other half's contentment even stronger than he could feel his own. He gently placed Jo back on the ground, and she reached to pat his hand before moving over to where Ben was waiting. Hulk stayed in the gym long enough to watch Jo jump into the air with her foot aimed at Ben's head before walking towards the elevator. Hulk shifted back into Bruce inside the elevator, and Bruce hurriedly put on his clothes. His mind was whirling, trying to figure out why Betty was here. Trying to figure out how Betty knew to come here. Soon he'd have his answers. Maybe sooner than he was prepared for.

**.xXx.**

"I mean, she's—"

Rocky fist against her ribcage. Fleshy fist against his jaw.

"—just so pretty. One of those—"

Fingers wrapped around her ankle, holding her in midair. Feeling her stomach muscles tensing and releasing as she swings to duck from the blows.

"—classic beauties, ya know? With the pale skin—"

Her legs are wrapped around his forearm so she can slam her fists into his knee and get loose.

"—and big blue eyes, and those perfect lips!"

Her arms are crossed over her head and holding off a blow that would give a weaker person severe head trauma, if not kill them completely.

"She's smart too! Like super genius smart! I bet she understands all of Bruce's science talk. It'd help if she was mean, but she's so nice! Even her thoughts are all blue and serene. She's perfect," Jo groaned. Ben was perched on her legs, pinning her to the ground, and Jo's forehead was pressed tight against the floor.

"Makes you wonder what he's doing with you," Johnny tossed out.

"I know!" Ben reached forward to pat Jo on the back, which just made her groan louder.

"It's not like you're all curvy and hot, or an awesome cook, or really sweet sometimes. Yeah, you're none of those things."

"I hate you, Johnny."

"You're mistaking hate for lust again."

"Can we kill him, Ben?" Jo's back twisted so that she could look over her shoulder at Ben, and she actually heard Johnny pouting. Jo didn't even know pouts had sounds, but Johnny did love proving her wrong.

"He's not wrong, kid."

"What?! I haven't lusted after that idiot for six years!"

"Four! We were in Cairo." Jo's brows pulled together for a moment before smoothing out again.

"That really was more hate than lust, but that's not the point!"

"That wasn't my point either. My point was, you have plenty to offer. If Bruce wanted his ex, don't you think he would've already went looking for her?" Ben asked, interrupting the two.

"I know, but I'm still a girl. I'm allowed to be a little insecure sometimes," Jo said with a pout of her own.

"Yeah, well, get over it. You're both awesome, but your big green lover still likes you the bestest. Now, get up and fight me. I'm much better than ol' Rocky."

"What was that?" Ben growled. Jo grinned at both of them and slipped out from under Ben; a little fighting always cheered her up.

**.xXx.**

"Bruce!" Betty was sitting at the kitchen bar, on what he was now thinking of as his stool, sipping at a cup of honey tea. She was dressed casually, in a black skirt and a short-sleeved blouse that was the same blue as her eyes. Bruce felt a little inadequate in his loose jeans and faded blue button-up. He wasn't even wearing shoes, and he couldn't remember the last time he brushed his hair. Actually, right now, he couldn't remember if he even owned a brush.

"Betty. How did you find me?" What he really wanted to ask was if General Ross knew how to find him, and he could tell from the look on Betty's face that she knew the real question too.

"The General is out tracking some of those escaped prisoners. He wasn't too happy about SHIELD clearing you, but there's nothing he can do about it. That's not why I'm here."

"Why are you here?" The last time he saw Betty was in Harlem, while they were surrounded by destruction. Then he ran, because it was the only thing he knew how to do. Betty smiled, a little shakily, and met his eyes.

"Is it so strange that I might want to see you? I asked Director Fury where you were after I saw you on the news, fighting off those aliens? He told me you earned a day off, but I saw you again on TV last week. Fury finally told me where you were." It made sense, of course it did. She probably wanted answers, explanations as to why he ran off without saying a word. He wasn't ready to talk about that, not with her. Not yet.

"Tony asked me to move in and gave me a lab. Saying no wasn't really an option," Bruce said with a small smile of his own. Betty's smile smoothed out; no matter what happened between them, they would always have science.

"Can I see it?"

**.xXx.**

"Ten out of ten, would do again," Jo breathed out. One of Ben's rocky legs was thrown over her midsection, and the other was pinning Johnny to the ground.

"Same here, kid," Ben growled.

"You're both insane," Johnny huffed. The three of them were completely wiped out but, despite Johnny's loud complaints, all three of them were smiling.

"I see you three haven't had any problems entertaining yourself." Jo smiled wider at the sound of Bruce's voice and raised her hand in a wave without opening her eyes.

"Bruce, my darlin'! Come join our sweaty, post-sparring cuddle!" Jo called.

"It's not a cuddle!"

"And I don't get sweaty!"

"Yeah, yeah, your torchiness," Ben said as he pressed his leg down harder against Johnny's torso. Jo let her head roll to the side and slowly blinked her eyes open, and she felt her whole body tense when she realized Bruce wasn't alone. Dr. Ross was standing at Bruce's side and looking into the room with a mixture of curiosity and confusion.

"Betty, this is Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm," Bruce said quietly.

"Pleasure to meet you, Dr. Ross."

"Hi!"

"Betty didn't want to leave without saying goodbye."

"To me? Wow, I didn't know I could make such an impression that fast. Alright, big guy, let me up," Jo said with a pat to Ben's leg. The rocky limb was lifted, and Jo wiggled out from under him. She was grinning at the two geniuses as she walked over, but she still felt a little unsettled inside. Bruce and Betty spent _hours_ together, and what she had with Bruce was still so new. The temptation to take a peek, just a little one, was overwhelming. She wasn't going to though, because she trusted him.

"Would you mind walking me out?" Jo blinked, twice, before nodding. Betty smiled at her and then turned to Bruce with a quiet, "I'll call you later."

The elevator ride was uncomfortable, but it didn't make Jo's top ten list of uncomfortable elevator rides. Hell, it didn't even make the top twenty list. And that's after writing off all the elevator rides that included Johnny Storm. Still, it felt like a lifetime before they were walking across the foyer to the front door. Betty walked outside and stood on the top step, waiting. Jo gently closed the door behind her and went to stand next to the female genius. The two of them looked out over the front yard, which was surprisingly large for Manhattan, in complete silence. Jo was just starting to get fidgety when Betty finally spoke.

"Do you remember your first?" The large muscles on either side of Jo's spine tensed, but she kept a smile on her face.

"My first what?" A person had a lot of firsts.

"The first man you ever loved. Not teenage love, but _real_ love?"

"Yeah, sure. I was twenty and angry at the world, and he was a cocky asshole that kept making me laugh. You might have heard of him, goes by the name Johnny Storm?" Jo glanced at the woman from the corner of her eye, but she didn't react at all. Eh, Jo probably wasn't the only girl who had Johnny Storm as a first love.

"My first was a scientist, a brilliant scientist, that just had to be a hero. Would you have liked him then? Before?" She was talking about Bruce; of course she was talking about Bruce. The good little scientist that shooed some idiot away from a gamma bomb and then got hit himself.

"I don't know, I didn't know him then. I like who he is now, so that should count for something. Do you like him now?"

"I'll always love Bruce. You always love your first, don't you?" Betty met her eyes, and Jo saw Johnny's laughing blue eyes. Still, the two situations didn't compare. Jo's read Bruce's file, and Betty's for that matter. The two were together for years; they were each other's firsts, if Jo was picking up on Betty's thoughts just right. What she and Johnny had, all those years ago, was a strong mix of lust and obsession that can easily be mistaken for love.

"Yeah, I guess so, but that isn't what I asked you." Betty looked away from her, and Jo went back to checking out the scenery. It was getting late now; the sun was starting to set, and the sky was lit up with pretty colors.

"I trust the Hulk. He saved us, and I know he wouldn't hurt me. Do you like them both? I don't know if I could, if Bruce let me in again. I'm not sure if I could ever really accept the Hulk."

"It's just Hulk. I don't call you the Betty, do I?" Maybe Jo's tone was a little sharper than intended, and she didn't turn her head when she felt Betty's eyes boring against the side of her face.

"You really do like them both." It was said with a kind of wonder that made Jo's skin itch, and she absently noted the way her nails pulled against the bare skin of her thigh. Maybe she shouldn't have worn the shorty shorts.

"Don't tell Bruce, but Hulk is my favorite. What can I say? The big guy gives a mean cuddle. You still love Bruce despite the fact that Hulk's inside of him, right?" Jo wasn't focusing or actively searching, but she could feel the thought just the same. It might be because of how hyper-focused she was on hearing Hulk's name inside of the woman's mind.

"You already know the answer." Which was a yes, and it just goes to show that geniuses can be a little dumb sometimes.

"That's the difference between us, Ross. You still love him _despite_; I like him all the more because of Hulk. Hulk isn't some monster that popped up one day because of some experiment gone wrong; Hulk is Bruce and Bruce is Hulk. I know you two can probably make it all complicated with your science babble, but it's really simple to me. It's just one person with two different names," Jo shrugged.

"You're good for him." It was whispered, and Jo just snorted. She wasn't perfect, but she still wasn't letting him go. Not until he asked her to.

"He deserves it," was what she said.

"Yes, he does. Take care, Holbrook." Jo watched her go, and the gate was closing when the front door opened. Ben and Johnny stood on either side of her, and Jo's neck popped when she turned her head to look at both of them. Huh, maybe she was a little tense.

"Before you go back inside, we may have asked JARVIS to eavesdrop," Ben confessed.

"Yeah, who knew you could fight with words and without getting all bloody? And I knew I was your first love!" Johnny whooped.

"I was young and stupid. Seriously, it was the worst eight months of my life."

"Fourteen."

"Are you still counting that mission in Greenland?"

"You used me for a blanket for six months."

"You're the Human Torch, and it was _Greenland_." Johnny was opening his mouth to retort when Ben grabbed the back of his shirt and drug him off the porch. For a moment, Jo wished she was good at drawing so she could have captured the perfect look of shock and indignation on Johnny's face.

"Your boyfriend's inside. Don't keep him waiting, kid," Ben tossed over his shoulder before throwing Johnny over the front gate. Jo took a moment to wave goodbye before ducking back inside, and she braced her back against the front door as Bruce's eyes met hers.

"So, fun day all around, right?" Jo asked with a too wide grin. She knew it was too wide because those lines were between Bruce's brows again; the ones that she always wanted to smooth out with kisses.

"I apologized for running away without a word, and for not trying to get in touch with her once I was…once I didn't have to run anymore. I told her about meeting Dizzy and talking to Hulk. Betty's always been a good listener and very forgiving; it was nice talking to her again."

"I'm glad you two got to talk it out then. You know I'm okay with you two talking, right? I am one hundred percent completely okay with it." It was only fair considering that Jo's first serious partner, she didn't date much at all when she was in the boarding school, came over fairly frequently.

"No, I know, and thanks for that. It's just, I always thought Betty was at least okay with Hulk." Right, the weird conversation she just had with her boyfriend's ex while he listened in.

"She is! She wasn't lying about trusting him. I would know," Jo said and gently tapped the side of her head.

"What you said, you weren't lying? About…us?" For a moment, Jo thought he was talking about the two of them before realizing that he meant himself and Hulk.

"Yeah, sorry, Hulk is my favorite. His cuddles are the stuff of legend, and his bedtime stories are the best." Her smile was actually real this time, and she didn't even care that her natural smile was a little crooked.

"I'm going to kiss you now. Okay?" Jo's heart didn't do that storybook thing where it skipped a beat, but her chest did tighten a bit as heat rushed to her head. She felt a little dizzy and was glad there was a door behind her keeping her up.

"That is _so_ okay."

Bruce's kiss was so hard that her head hit the door, but she was not going to let something so small slow her down. Her fingers instantly reached up to pull on his hair, to give him that porcupine look that made her weak in the knees, as her lips parted under his. It was getting hard to breathe, but Jo couldn't pull away. Not when Bruce's tongue was tracing equations on the roof of her mouth while his hands were _everywhere_. The tank top she was wearing, which thankfully had a built-in bra, was roughly pushed up. She managed to wiggle enough to get her arms out, but she couldn't pull away. The top was left around her neck, but she was okay with that. Really. As long as Bruce finished pulling her shorts off, she was completely okay with wearing her top as a scarf.

"Do you want me to stop?" Jo's eyes popped open, and Bruce's pupils were so big that she could only see a small ring of brown.

"Never," she smiled. Her hands traced the width of his shoulders before moving to his collar, and she made sure to hold his gaze as she ripped his shirt open. She vaguely heard the buttons echoing off the floor, but she was more focused on the teeth pulling at her bottom lip. Fingers scrambled against the button of his pants, and Jo groaned as she tore at his zipper. Why were clothes so complicated? They should just stay naked, all the time. A happy sigh slipped into Bruce's mouth as she finally pushed his pants off his hips, and the sound changed into a squeal as she was suddenly lifted into the air.

The thing about Bruce was that his alter-ego was nine feet tall and built like an adamantium fortress, so people tended to see him as small. Next to Hulk, everyone was small, but Bruce wasn't a pushover. His hands were big and rough, and he used his grip on her thighs to effortlessly pick her up and press her back even harder against the door. Jo's fingers pulled at his hair as she waited, and she had to bite back a whine when Bruce pulled away from her. His lips drug across her neck to her shoulder, and she twisted and arched so he could have more access to her skin.

"You sure?" It sounded more like a growl, and Jo smiled even though the grip his teeth had on her shoulder should have been painful.

"Always such a gentleman. Yes, I'm sure. C'mon, Bruce, _please_." His teeth were still buried in her shoulder as he entered her, and Jo's mind flashed to those stupid romance books. This was the part where the woman screamed and finally felt complete. Jo didn't scream, but that clichéd completeness was almost accurate. Bruce stilled against her, giving her time to adjust, because that's the kind of man he was. Even though he was shaking as he held himself back, he wanted to make sure that she wasn't in any pain. Silly Bruce, tanks don't feel pain. She tightened her thighs to pull him just that little bit closer and nipped the top of his ear, and Bruce took it as the signal it was.

Their first time was so slow and gentle that it was almost torture, and this time was the exact opposite. Jo's back scraped against the door with Bruce's rough thrusts, and she could already feel the bruises forming under his fingers on her thighs. Fingers pulled and scratched at skin, teeth left marks over freckles and tense muscles, and it was still somehow perfect. The sound of the shaking door, skin sliding against skin, and shaky gasps filled and echoed in the room. Jo thought it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever heard. This time she came with a scream of Bruce's name, and she felt the groan of her own name against the tender skin of her shoulder as Bruce fell apart against her.

Jo felt like a statue made out of jelly, so she wasn't sure how Bruce was still on his feet. He was though and still holding her up as well. She tightened her legs and loosened her arms, and she let her head fall back against the door as she tried to catch her breath. Bruce's labored breathing was drying the sweat on the side of her neck and making her shiver in the best possible way, and she wished there was a way to save these moments and relive them. Because this? This was one of the things that made life worth living. Not just the amazing sex that actually made her toes curl (who knew that was a real thing?), but the part after. Bruce's hands were gentle as he ran them over her shuttering ribcage, and Jo couldn't remember ever feeling so cared for. Not _after_.

"Okay?" Bruce breathed against her.

"That was amazin'. Are you ever gonna stop surprisin' me?" Jo realized that she sounded a little drunk, but being with Bruce did that to her.

"Would you go out on a date with me?" Jo's laugh was sharp and sudden, and she felt Bruce's laugh joining her own as he shook against her.

"And the surprises keep comin'. I would love to go on a date with you, Bruce, but it'll have to be tomorrow. I've already made a promise for tonight." Bruce pulled away from her skin, and Jo smiled once she got to see his pretty brown eyes again. Because they were pretty. Sometimes they were dark like chocolate and other times they were warm like his honeyed tea.

"You still want to hear a bedtime story?" Jo idly pulled on one of his curls, gently, and nodded. Her sweaty back was still pressed against the front door and she could still feel Bruce inside of her, but she felt oddly shy. Geeze, this man was good at tying her up in knots.

"Of course. I promised," she shrugged. Bruce's smile was small and grateful and fuckin' beautiful, and Jo wished they had the energy to go another round. She sighed as Bruce pulled her farther up his body, separating them, and held her closer. She nuzzled against his hair as he carried her up the stairs and proved all of her theories about Bruce Banner being pretty damned strong all on his own, and she felt…she felt…_happy._

**.xXx.**

Hulk let his voice fade away once he was sure that Jo was asleep. He'd read _Where The Wild Things Are_ so many times that he had the story perfectly memorized, and Jo was asleep halfway through the second retelling. Hulk lifted his head to look down, and he and Bruce both smiled at Jo's sleeping form. Hulk was stretched out on the roof, so they could look at the stars while Hulk read the story, and Jo was curled up on his stomach with her head on his chest. Her hair was down and still wet from the shower she took earlier with Bruce, and Hulk gently touched a finger against the soft strands.

"_Hulk, is something wrong?"_ The big guy was quiet, and Bruce could feel the other half of himself struggling with something inside of their shared mind.

"I feel…" Hulk let his words die out, because he didn't know how he felt. It wasn't something that he understood. It was close to what he felt for Betty, like when they shot at her, but somehow _more_. It was confusing.

"_You feel something for Jo. That's normal, Hulk. She's been very good to you."_ Before, Bruce's voice both annoyed and scared Hulk. Annoyed because Bruce was always out of the dark and always talking, and scared when Bruce tried to fight him and push him back into the dark. Now, Bruce's voice calmed and settled him. Neither one of them had to go in the dark anymore.

"Jo is ours." Bruce's quiet laugh filled their mind, and Jo stretched out of the ball she was in and rolled onto her back. Still fast asleep with Hulk's finger touching her hair.

"_Yes, I guess she is." _Her head turned so that Hulk could easily see the dark bruise on her shoulder that wasn't quite covered by the tank top strap, and Hulk knew the mark was from Bruce. He understood their physical relationship but had no desire for that kind of relationship. He understood but didn't want.

"_**We'll keep her safe and take care of her."**_ Hulk needed the emotional aspects of a relationship, the acceptance and kindness that came with it. He needed all the things he'd been denied before.

"_We will."_ Hulk huffed and looked up at the sky, while Jo slept peacefully. Inside his mind, Bruce went still and looked with him.

**August 10, 2014**

Jo woke up slowly bathed in warmth with her cheek pressed against her favorite hairy chest. That thought should have been weird, but she was feeling too good to care. Bruce was warm and solid beneath her sprawled body, and the sun was warm on her back. Wait, the sun…why was the sun on her? Jo stretched as she woke up a little more and let her eyes open, and she felt Bruce's fingers combing through her hair. As she stretched, she realized that Bruce was naked and that they were still on the roof. Huh, she knew she fell asleep on the roof, but she was pretty sure that Hulk was reading to her then.

"Mornin'," she husked out. Her voice was still sleep rough, but it wasn't any worse than usual.

"Good morning."

"I guess Hulk fell asleep too?" She moved her knees onto either side of Bruce's hips and listened to her spine pop as she straightened. There was something about straddling a naked Bruce on a rooftop that made her feel like today was going to be a good day.

"Mhmm." Bruce's hair was sticking up in her favorite pattern, and she flattened her hands against his stomach to keep from reaching for it.

"And why are you naked?" She knew the answer, they both did, but she wanted to hear his answer. Normally Bruce was quick to at least pull on some pants.

"Why aren't you?" Fuck, he looked so relaxed and carefree laying in the sunlight. She could feel him pushing against her, and Jo smiled at the feeling of lazy desire curling in her stomach and tensing her thighs.

"I'm sure somethin' can be arranged," she smiled. Together they worked on stripping off her tank top, and Jo gave a quick roll of her hips before surging to her feet. Bruce laughed as she twirled her pants around her head before sending them flying through the air, and the soft sound of it made her chest feel tight and touched her in all the right places. She was laughing with him as she settled herself on top of him, and his hands reached up to grab her hips as she immediately took him inside.

"Can we wake up like this every morning?" Bruce's voice sounded a little strained as Jo lightly moved her hips, and she arched her back so she could brush their lips together.

"Naked on a rooftop?" She moved down to lick and nip at his neck, and she felt his hands tracing over the curve of her spine.

"Something like that," he breathed out.

"I'm game if you are," she mouthed against the shell of his ear. She'd love to wake up like this every morning, with Bruce's soft laugh and rough hands. Jo's body moved in slow rolls, and Bruce took his time letting his hands wander all over her body. From her tensing thighs to her blushing cheeks, because she can't remember ever feeling so exposed. The sun is lighting up everything around them and making her hair stick to her sweaty back, and Bruce is letting her move as slowly as she wants. As gently as she wants, and she can feel something inside of her breaking open.

"_Jo_." She let herself fall with a quiet sigh as Bruce gently held her face in his hands, and she collapsed against him to ride out the aftershocks. This man was going to be the death of her, and she was going to love every minute of it. And probably beg for more. Bruce's arms crossed over her back, one under and one over her hair. His heartbeat was strong and steady against her temple, and Jo just let herself go boneless against him. Bruce could hold her until she pulled herself back together.

"I need eggs," she huffed out. Bruce shifted under her to run a hand across the top of her head, and Jo peeked up at him.

"Eggs?"

"With hot sauce. Lots of hot sauce." Bruce smiled, and Jo leaned up to kiss the underside of his chin. It was the best she could do, since her body was mostly ignoring her for the moment.

"Let's go get breakfast."

**.xXx.**

After a shared shower, Jo slipped on one of his button-ups and a pair of panties before heading down to the kitchen. Bruce needed to check on something in the lab, so he promised he'd join her soon and then rode the elevator up. There were a few things that he needed to check on, but they could all wait. Instead he spent the next ten minutes talking to JARVIS and setting up reservations for dinner tonight. Their relationship was a little backwards, but Jo deserved a dinner that she didn't cook herself or had delivered. They could both use a night out too, and JARVIS knew all the best restaurants in town.

Bruce heard the soft music before he reached the kitchen, and he stopped in the doorway just to watch. Jo was standing at the stove, with a bottle of hot sauce sitting next to her, and swaying lightly to the beat. Her wet hair was piled on top of her head, so he could see the top of her spine tattoo and the slope of her neck where it met her shoulder. The shirt she was wearing, _his shirt_, was missing the top few buttons so it hung open just a little. Bruce couldn't see that from where he was standing, but he had a nice long look before they separated earlier.

"_Whenever I'm alone, with you. You make me feel like I'm free again."_

Bruce's hands slipped under the loose shirt so he could lightly hold her hips, and Jo leaned back against him as the hand not holding a spatula pressed against one of his. Her hips continued to move in a slow sway as she scrambled eggs, and Bruce's body was forced to move with hers. He wasn't a dancer, but he could get used to the way Jo's body moved against his. He could get used to seeing her in his clothes and the smell of her blueberry shampoo. Jo raised a fork that Bruce hadn't noticed earlier, and he bent forward to take the eggs. Jo gently knocked her head against his, shook some hot sauce onto some of the eggs, and took a big bite.

They ate the eggs straight from the pan in front of the stove, some with hot sauce and some sprinkled with salt and pepper. Jo shared her giant mug of ice water to help wash their breakfast down, and Bruce couldn't remember ever doing something like this before. No words were said, because none were needed. Jo was warm and soft where she was pressed against him, and she kept her left hand firmly tangled with his as she fed him with her right. It was a little tricky sometimes, and she held the fork between her teeth to add in their egg enhancements, but it worked. Throughout it all, she moved gently against him and kept his body moving right along with her as the soft music kept playing.

"_I'm falling fast, but the truth is that I'm not scared at all. You climbed my walls."_

Falling…Bruce wasn't in love with Jo, it was still too soon for that, but he was so close. So close that he probably should be scared, because happiness wasn't something that he was used to. It was worse after the gamma bomb, but there was always something missing before then too. But Jo…she listened to him talk about his childhood and believed that he deserved happiness. She let his monstrous other half read her bedtime stories and looked at him sometimes like she couldn't believe he was real. Like she was the lucky one.

"_This feeling, I'm feeling, is something I've never known."_

Even before Hulk, Bruce kept his emotions under control. He'd seen what anger could do to a man, had felt what it could do, and he never wanted to be like that. So he ran and hid metaphorically before learning how to do it literally. He loved Betty…oh, how he loved Betty…but he'd always been afraid of giving too much of himself away. He always held back, but he wasn't holding back now. He didn't even know if he could hold back anymore, and he didn't want to.

"_And I just can't take my eyes off you."_

**.xXx.**

"JARVIS, I don't know what to wear," Jo groaned. She was laying in her closet, actually laying down, and staring at her clothes in panicked confusion.

"I believe you have attended more dates than I have, Miss Jo." Eyes narrowed at the ceiling as Jo huffed and crossed her arms. She spent her lunchtime in Hulk's room, the new name for sub-basement two, holding up multiplication flashcards. So she was covered in glitter and still wearing one of Bruce's old shirts, and her dinner date was in two hours.

"You were created by Lord Diva himself, I know you know a thing or two about fashion. Hey! I bet you know where Bruce is takin' me too. Come on, JARVIS, help a girl out." Her life was officially odd. She was begging an artificial intelligence system to help her pick out an outfit for her date.

"You may have one acceptable dress." Jo grinned as she sat up, because oddities aside, JARVIS was awesome. The AI directed her to said dress, and told her which shoes would work the best, before she made it out of the closet. She had just enough time to jump in the shower and then scramble to get ready. Shaving was a breeze compared to blow drying all of her hair. Her arm was getting tired by the time she finished, and JARVIS pulled up a video tutorial to help her put her hair up in something other than a messy bun. Then it was time for the dress.

Jo remembers buying the dress. At the time, she couldn't think of a reason why she'd ever wear it, but she loved it and bought it anyway. It was a plain black and fit against her without being too tight or loose, and the single strap around her neck kept her arms bare. The dress was backless, and the material hugged just under the small of her back so that the majority of her spine tattoo showed. A bow was tied at the back as well, like her ass was a gift to the world. Still, Jo liked it and JARVIS approved. She slipped on her flats and walked over to where she kept her jewelry, because even tough girls like looking pretty sometimes.

"So, what are we thinking, JARVIS? Earrings? Necklace? Bracelets?"

"I believe earrings will complete the look. The black teardrops." Jo grabbed the earrings and carefully put them in. Lately the only jewelry she wears is the earring comm Tony made her, and it's still safely in place. Jo spun around in the center of her room and smiled up at the ceiling.

"How am I lookin', JARVIS?"

"Absolutely stunning, Miss Jo. Dr. Banner will be speechless."

"You're such a charmer, but I owe you. I never would've been able to pull this off without you," she said sincerely. She didn't even know she could get her long hair to look like this, all perfectly coiled and coifed.

"It was my genuine pleasure, miss." Jo very lightly applied some eyeliner and mascara, and she was debating on wearing lip gloss. It would make her lips look amazing, but she didn't really want anything between her lips and Bruce's. No lip gloss it was.

"JARVIS?"

"Are you in need of more fashion advice?"

"Is Tony okay?" she whispered. Tony asked for radio silence, and it was really hard for her to go so long without talking to him. She didn't even know the billionaire a year ago, but he'd really made an impact on her life. Despite everything that's happened since they all scattered, she still worries about him. There's a sinking suspicion that she'll be worried about him for the rest of her life.

"Master Stark is well, Miss Jo." The AI's teasing tone was gone now, making his voice sound softer, and Jo was nearly convinced that he was human.

"No drinking? What about nightmares?"

"He has remained sober and nightmare free."

"He is sleeping, right?" Nightmare free? After what happened? Jo had a hard time believing it.

"Occasionally." Maybe he was nightmare free because he was working himself into exhaustion, without the aid of alcohol. Andy promised to let her know if he drank anything, but there were other ways that Tony could drown himself.

"You'd let me know if he needed help, right? And not just because of the drinking?"

"Of course, Miss Jo. Master Stark is just fine, and Dr. Banner has reached the foyer."

"Alright, I'm goin'. Thanks again, JARVIS." The AI stayed silent this time, and Jo rolled her shoulders before stepping out of her room. Her long legs ate up the distance between her room and the grand staircase, and she paused at the top.

They've shared emotional stories, had sex, and she fed the man eggs just this morning. She should not feel this nervous. She's Jo Holbrook! She's the Tank! And her knees are not knocking together! She squared her shoulders and started walking down. She kept her eyes fixed straight ahead until about halfway down when she felt the warm press of Bruce's mind. Her eyes immediately sought him out, and she gripped the bannister to keep from running to him. His black pants looked perfectly tailored to his body, and he had a dark purple shirt tucked into them. No jacket. Still, the _shirt_. Something as simple as a purple button-up shirt should not raise her pulse like this. Knowing that doesn't make her stop thinking about slowly unbuttoning it (because this shirt will not be ruined like the last one) and then licking every inch of revealed skin.

"You look…"

"Beautiful," Bruce finished for her. She was at the bottom of the stairs now, and she put a little extra swish in her walk as she made her way over to him.

"I was gonna go with fuckalicious, but beautiful works too." She couldn't have stopped her hands if she tried, which she didn't, as her fingers smoothed down over his chest. Did they really have to eat? They got all dressed up; that's close enough to a date, right?

"Ready to go?"

"After you," she smiled. Bruce grabbed the hand that was idly plucking at one of his buttons, her hands were possessed, and held it in his. Their fingers laced as they walked out the front door, and Jo raised a brow at Bruce when she noticed the car waiting for them.

"It was JARVIS's idea," he said with a slight blush on his cheeks. There was no way she was getting through dinner without jumping him. It just wasn't going to be physically possible.

"He's full of good ideas," she mumbled as Bruce held the door open for her. She brushed past him to step inside, resisted the urge to lick the dip between his collarbones, and nearly collapsed against the soft seat. She was so hyperaware of Bruce that she didn't pay any attention to the drive, so she was a little surprised when the car stopped. She wasn't sure how far they went or for how long, but she memorized the texture of Bruce's knuckles and got a little drunk on the smell of his aftershave.

Jo held onto Bruce's hand with both of hers as he led them into the restaurant, because she was scared of just where her free hand might wander. She had a feeling that Bruce wouldn't be too happy if she tried to strip him on the sidewalk. Not that the idea wasn't still tempting. They didn't have to wait to be seated, which Jo thought was amazing. Most places made you wait at least a little bit, even with reservations. Did JARVIS make reservations? Jo bet that he did, and that he dropped Tony's name. Either way, she was happy. The table they were seated at was a few floors up and on a private balcony, and Jo might have blushed when Bruce pulled out her chair for her.

"We'll be right out with your meal," the waitress said as she poured them each a glass of wine. Jo waited until the woman walked away before looking at Bruce, and he looked just as confused as she felt. Jo was pretty sure that ordering came first, unless…

"JARVIS," they said together.

"I think Tony's AI might be a closet romantic," Jo laughed.

"Did he dress you too?" Jo was thankful for the private seating as her loud laugh sounded in the air around them, and she felt Bruce's foot nudge against her own. Despite all the open space, the round table was pretty small. Jo wasn't gonna complain because it meant she was just that much closer. The laughing died down as their waitress returned with a giant tray in her hand, and Jo watched as the woman started arranging everything on their table. A giant plate of food was placed in the center of the table, they were given silverware wrapped in a napkin, and the bottle of wine was placed next to the plate.

"If you need anything, press this and I'll be right with you." She set down a small circular object that looked like a coaster to Jo, with a single button in the center of it. Huh, so no interruptions or anything. That was pretty awesome.

"Mmm, pasta. Is that shrimp?" Jo and Bruce clinked forks and then dove into their shared meal. JARVIS was definitely a closet romantic; he got them a shared pasta dinner and everything.

They were quiet while they ate, sometimes catching each other's eye and smiling softly. After a few bites and two glasses of delicious wine, they loosened up. Jo had her shoes kicked off and her feet resting on Bruce's chair, and he had one hand over the tattoos on her foot. She could feel his curiosity, so she explained all of her tattoos between bites. It was the same thing she told Tony a few months ago, with a few extra details. Like how the designs on her left arm came from one of her Ma's paintings. The picture was still hanging in the living room in her childhood home back in Louisiana, because she and Andy still owned it. The picture was mostly black and white, with splashes of color here and there. Her tattoo was a nearly perfect match, and she shivered lightly when Bruce traced a finger over a red wing on her forearm. It was nice talking about her Ma with someone that really listened, and Jo felt all warm inside when Bruce even told her a few things about his own mother. She knew talking about her wasn't easy for Bruce, so the stories were even more special. Like how she loved James Dean movies and played in the rain with him.

"You can ask, if you want to." They had been quiet for a few beats, and they were both so relaxed that picking up on Bruce's thoughts was easy. Lips were just starting to part when their waitress returned with another large tray, and she smoothly picked up their empty pasta plate and sat another one down before walking off. Jo licked her lips at the sight of the chocolate cake and quickly picked up her fork again.

"Wouldn't it be rude?" Bruce asked once they'd each taken a bite.

"We're in it for the long haul, so it makes sense to be curious. That, and you do have to see him quite a bit. It goes both ways though," Jo said with a thoughtful look. Then she shoveled in another bite of cake and tried not to moan at the wonderful taste.

"Sounds fair enough." His fingers were lightly tracing shapes on her bare shin, and she wiggled her toes against his thigh. Maybe she could take his shirt off with just her toes? That was something she hadn't tried yet.

"I didn't date as a teenager. Being a teenager is hard, but being a teenager in a mutant school? It was fuckin' ridiculous. After I graduated, I thought I'd go on an adventure and fall madly in love with some exotic stranger. Instead, I traveled in the US for a little over two months before ROSE got me. When I got out, dating was the last thing on my mind. I was a bit angry for a while, and SHIELD used that. A few months after I got free, they sent me on a mission to Greenland with Johnny of all people. It was undercover and we were newlyweds, and somewhere along the way the acting became real. I was angry and scared, and he could make me laugh. As for him, he was tired of being lonely and wanted to be with someone more like him. Someone who could handle the heat. His words, not mine," Jo smiled. Those early years after being saved were not pleasant memories, but there were moments when she knew that things would work out. Like when Johnny made her laugh during sex and Clint took her dancing in warehouses.

"What went wrong?" She knew Bruce would never judge her, but she still fidgeted a little in her seat.

"I don't think we ever loved each other. We thought we did, and we said it, but I don't think either of us believed it. We were using each other. I needed a distraction, and he just needed someone. We separated as friends, so at least there's that. I still consider him the first guy I ever loved, because how many girls can say they held onto Johnny Storm for over a year?" Jo knows that Johnny's been with a lot of women, it's that cocky charm of his, but she's been in a lot of cat fights over the years for him. She can't stand it when women sleep with him just because of who he is and for the sake of saying that they bedded the infamous Johnny Storm. Hell, Jo's own friends have slept with him, but they did it for the right reasons. Mutual attraction, that's the way to go.

"So he wasn't your first love." It wasn't a question, but Jo could hear the question he didn't want to ask.

"After we split, I did the unhealthy therapy thing. Once it was out of my system, I went back home to New Orleans. I met a guy, a bartender and human. We were together for less than a year, but I'm pretty sure it was the real deal. He knew about me being a mutant and everything, but it just didn't work out. I still took jobs from SHIELD, and a few other people, and he hated it. He wanted to settle down, and I was still so angry. He's married now with three kids, all girls." Man, that had been a rough relationship.

"You're leaving something out." Great, so Bruce could read her facial expressions.

"It was a violent relationship. Not domestically, just generally. It was what I needed then, and he could tell. I haven't always been this cuddly." And wasn't that the truth? "Alright, Doc, 'fess up."

"You haven't been with anyone since then?"

"Not for longer than a night, and there's been very few of those. I'm guessing Betty was the first?" Bruce shyly met her eyes as he nodded and wrung his hands together. Jo wiggled her foot, and he moved one hand down to wrap around her ankle.

"We met in college, freshman year. We were dating before Halloween; being with her was natural and easy. Then we both went through graduate school and started working on the gamma bomb, and you know the rest," Bruce said quietly.

"She's the only one? You never fell for some beauty during your travels?" Jo's smile was gentle, but she already knew the answer. Apparently, she was just as good at reading Bruce's expressions.

"No, I was too scared to talk to anyone, much less do anything else. There were a few times, but they were always controlled and careful. And never twice."

"Good. That means I won't have to fight off anymore exes."

"Yeah? How many would you fight off?" Bruce's eyes were lighter now, and he looked a little more relaxed. Maybe they should've had the dreaded exes talk last week.

"For you? Hmm…"

"Trying to decide when to give up?"

"Trying to remember how many people are in the world, because I'll fight them all." Jo felt her thighs tingling as Bruce's cheeks were dusted with a light pink, and she had to remind herself that crawling across a table was bad manners. What about crawling under? Crawling under couldn't be _that_ bad, right? She was trying to weigh the risks versus the rewards when there was a tiny click, and she was groaning before a voice echoed in her ear. The rewards had been winning.

"Eris! Vector and Ironclad are in Harlem! Thing and Torch are too far out, so grab Hulk and get your asses out there!" Jo rubbed a hand over her ringing ear, because Fury's yell could break sound barriers.

"You heard that?" Jo was already putting her flats back on and mourning her dress, because clothes never survive fights.

"I'll get the check."

* * *

**Finis: **First things first, if the thought of Hulk holding glittery flashcards doesn't make you smile, I don't know if we'll ever be friends. Kidding! But you gotta admit, it would be adorable.

Now, time for the serious ending note. I don't hate Betty Ross, in any kind of way. Now, saying that, I can't have her and Bruce still be madly in love because then this part of the story wouldn't be possible. I like Jo and Bruce together, so no Betty. Still, I couldn't write this whole big Bruce section without bringing Betty in. Oh, and if anyone is curious, I do picture Liv Tyler as Betty.

Credit! The first song is _Lovesong_ by Adele, and the second one is Lady Antebellum's _Can't Take My Eyes Off You_. I really recommend listening to them both, because they're beautiful songs. The two supervillains mentioned at the end, Vector and Ironclad, are the escaped U-Foes (not F-Uoes) members from Chapter Eight.

PS: I really do believe that JARVIS is sassy, sensitive, a closet romantic, and the best wingman of all time. Just sayin'.


	12. Beast: Part Four

**TIB: **Okay, a little warning, the first part is a little violent and contains quite a bit of angst. I'm apologizing in advance, but can you really have a Hulk story without some angst? The last part is pretty fluffy though, so all's well that ends well.

One last thing…**THANK YOU** to everyone actually reading this story. You're amazing, and I wish I could give all of you Hulk cuddles.

* * *

"_I don't need no man! All I need is me 'n' these babies!"  
__**Jo drunkenly waving her fists in an empty bar**_

**.xXx.**

**Chapter Twelve  
****You Be The Beast  
****Part Four**

* * *

"Miss? Do you think you could hold a few things for us?" The waitress blinked at her, and Jo just waited.

"Yes, of course. What would you like us to hold?" Jo quickly reached up to pull on her earrings, because there's no way she's losing these. Or having them ripped out.

"Just these, and his shirt."

"What?" Jo looked over to meet Bruce's eyes, and she did her best to keep a serious face on.

"You are not ripping that shirt, Doc, so take it off. Or I will." Bruce cocked an eyebrow and did as she said, and Jo tried not to laugh at the blush darkening their waitress's cheeks. Jo waited until the woman was holding her earrings and Bruce's shirt before looking at Bruce and then over at the balcony. They were in a hurry, and who needs a front door when there's a balcony?

"I don't really like Harlem," Bruce said quietly once they reached the rail. The waitress was still staring at them, but Jo blocked the woman's very loud thoughts. Oh yeah, her Doc definitely looks good shirtless.

"This time will be different. Let's just get this over with, and I'll see you after." Jo grabbed a handful of his hair, pressed a hard kiss against his lips, and jumped over the rail. When she looked beside her, Hulk was grinning down at her. One large hand scooped her up, and they were off.

"Alright, big guy, I'm gonna need you to take Vector," she said as they got closer to Harlem. She could already hear sirens in the not-so-distant distance.

"I want the tin man," Hulk growled.

"I know he pissed you off last time, but I'm not strong enough to take the leader. Even Ben had problems with that guy, so I know I can't fight him. I'll keep Ironclad busy. We need to get the leader, for sure this time." Hulk huffed, but Jo knew he understood. Jo's the first person to boast about how strong she is, but she knows that she's far from the strongest out there. Ironclad is strong enough to stand against Hulk and escape, so there's no way that she's going to be able to defeat him. Her goal is to just hold on long enough for Ben and Johnny to show up.

"I'll win," Hulk said right as they reached the destruction.

"My Hulkster always does," she whispered as she was thrown into the air. Her body slammed into an iron one, and they both went sprawling from the force of the collision. Jo rolled to her feet while her opponent lumbered to his, and they both held their ground to stare each other down. It's proper fighting etiquette. Thou shalt stare menacingly before battle commencement.

"They sent you to fight me? What can you do?" Ah, before battling, there shall be smack talk!

"I kicked X-Ray's ass," Jo shrugged.

"He's an idiot, and I'm much stronger." The iron face shifted in a smile, and Jo rolled her shoulders. She was in a loose dress and had her hair up in a fancy up-do, getting her ass kicked by an asshole was not how she wanted to end her night.

"Oh yeah? You just look like a Colossus knock-off to me," Jo said with a shit-eating grin. The man's face scrunched up in his anger, and Jo prepared herself for the first hit.

Once the fight started in earnest, she lost sight of Hulk. She was too busy ducking iron fists and delivering a few heavy hits of her own. Her skin is tougher than humans', along with her bones and other various organs. It takes a little something extra to hurt her, especially when her body is prepared for a fight. She's stronger than most humans too, but punching iron will never be like punching cotton. With the way her adrenaline is pumping right now too, her body is speeding up the regeneration process. Bruises that normally take a day to heal are disappearing immediately, and deep cuts that normally close up and fade in stages are vanishing almost instantly. That sounds good, in theory, but it's really not. The faster she heals, the more tired she gets. Her body is trying to shut down so it can focus only on healing, but she can't stop fighting yet. All because this fucker is relentless.

"Is this the best you can do, _Eris_! I thought you were the mutant of chaos!" Jo glared up at the iron asshole hovering above her and raised her pristine knuckles. (Her knuckles should be stripped to the bone or at least bruised, but they're not…and, oh fuck, it's getting harder to stand up straight.)

"Very original! I can see why you picked the name Ironclad now!"

"If I kill you, will they send someone stronger?!"

"Only one way to find out!" Jo caught the smirk on his face before he dropped to the ground and flattened her body under his. She might have screamed as the asphalt tore at her back and broke all around her, and she felt her ribs and sternum splintering under the iron fucking mountain perched on top of her. She could taste the blood coating the inside of her throat, and her pelvic bone snapped under an iron foot as he got to his feet. This time she did hear her own scream mixed in with Ironclad's rough laugh.

"There's one last thing you need to see before you die." Strong fingers wrapped around her throat and hoisted her into the air, and Ironclad held her out away from his body with her feet dangling in the air. Her rapidly bruising throat struggled to catch a breath while her healing tried to kick in; the more damaged she was, the slower the healing came. Until she eventually passed out and was left to heal completely. Or died.

"Can you still see? Watch your partner die." Jo stopped trying to breathe and opened her eyes. She could see Vector farther out, with energy blasts aimed right at Hulk. Vector has the ability to repel matter and right now, he's using that ability to repel Hulk's skin. Hulk, who's still fighting his way to reach Vector even though his skin is being flayed off.

"_**HULK!**_" Jo's scream was nearly drowned out under the sound of Hulk's loud growls, and she struggled against the hold on her throat as more green skin was ripped off to show the muscles underneath. Hulk couldn't take that kind of abuse…that kind of torture.

"That ugly green bastard's gettin' what's been comin' to him," Ironclad whispered behind her. Jo swung her legs back into his face and winced as she dropped to the ground. The pain could be dealt with later, she had to stop Vector. Hulk was showing more muscle than skin now, and she wasn't going to watch him die.

She was almost to Vector when a powerful fist hit the center of her back, and her legs collapsed as her spine broke. Her head knocked against the concrete, at just the right angle to watch Hulk nearly crawl his way towards Vector. His giant hands, showing pieces of bone, dug deep holes into the ground as he pulled himself forward. A sob worked its way out of Jo's rough throat at seeing Hulk's skin completely flayed off, but she couldn't do anything. She couldn't do _anything_. It was like the Zodiac attack all over again, but she could actually see the damage as it was happening this time. A hard foot dug into the broken part of her spine, keeping it from starting the healing process, but Jo didn't take her eyes off Hulk. Not for a second. Not even when he soared to his feet and planted two massive fists in Vector's body. The leader flew headfirst into a building, made a good-sized crater, and fell to the ground. He didn't get up, and Jo's eyes were locked on Hulk.

"How did he…?" The foot pressed harder into her spine, but Jo couldn't feel anything anymore. Hulk tipped his head back as he roared, and the sound vibrated in Jo's ears. Wide eyes watched as skin formed across his body, until he was whole again. He was gonna be okay.

"Because Hulkster always wins," Jo heard herself whisper. Her body was fighting to repair all of her broken bones along with the internal damage, but she'd already used up too much energy. This isn't a spar where she regenerates at a slow and steady pace, so she doesn't get so drained. This is an actual fight, and her body can't keep up anymore.

"Jo!" The foot was removed from her back as Ben and Ironclad went rolling away from her, but she was still looking at Hulk. Who was now looking back at her with rage darkening his face. She knew it was Johnny that called out to her, but she couldn't look for him.

"I'm okay, big guy. Just a little roughed up," she groaned out. Holy fuck, but everything hurt. She wasn't going to die, but she was going to feel this for a few days. The big healing energy has run out and is just focusing on keeping her alive. After she passes out, the healing process should pick up again.

"Can I kill him?" Hulk asked. The big guy was kneeling in front of her now, and she could hear shouts coming from all over the place. So SHIELD was here, finally. Why does everyone always show up _after_ everything's gone critical?

"Nah, let's let 'em suffer in a super prison for all eternity." Hulk was okay, he was talking to her, but all she could see was his skin evaporating off his muscles. A big green hand gently, so gently, picked her up and cradled her in the crook of his arm. One side of her body was pressed against the wall of his chest, and Jo struggled to press a hand against the green skin. Whole. Hulk was whole. He was okay.

"What the hell just happened?!" Jo blinked Director Fury into focus and shook with the sound of Hulk's growl.

"We have Vector, sir, and Thing has subdued Ironclad." It was the short-haired woman; the one who rolled her eyes at Director Fury and lived.

"Are you gonna live?" Director Fury was looking at her now, but shouldn't he be looking at Hulk? That's when it hit her. Only her and the two U-Foes saw Hulk surviving his skin being ripped off.

"If you're asking if I need medical, the answer is no. My healing is a little held up at the moment, but I'll be fine." Well, she'd be fine once her spine stopped taking its sweet time knitting back together. Most of her ribs were whole again, but her pelvis still felt a little off.

"Jo needs rest," Hulk said quietly.

"And you need pants," Director Fury said and gave a loud whistle. An agent appeared almost immediately and passed over a giant blanket. Hulk managed to grab it and wrap it around himself without jostling Jo around, which Jo was thankful for.

"I expect a full report, from both of you, tomorrow." Jo watched him stride off to start directing the clean-up, and she looked up at Hulk.

"Jo! You okay?" Johnny asked.

"Yeah, kid, you're lookin' a little beat," Ben added. Hulk's growl was more of a quiet rumble now, and Jo lightly patted his chest. And then left her hand there, just so she could feel that he had skin.

"I'm feelin' a little beat. Thanks for gettin' Ironclad for me."

"No problem, now go get some rest." Ben smiled at her and drug Johnny off, and Johnny managed to wave before Ben yanked him around.

"Let's go home, big guy," Jo said quietly. Hulk secured his hold on her and started walking off. Jo expected him to run, but he didn't want to hurt her. The thought was so sweet that she almost started crying, but she managed to hold back. Honestly, she felt a little numb. Like she was in shock. Jo's sternum fused back together with a flash of heat a few minutes later, and she barked out a rough scream at the feeling. Huh, that must have been a worse break than she realized. She could also breathe a little easier, so her lung damage had also been repaired.

"Are you okay?" Dark green eyes were staring down at her, and Jo rubbed small circles against the massive chest. Fuck, she couldn't stop touching him. It felt like if she stopped touching him, his skin would disappear again.

"I'm okay, just healing. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I won." Jo pressed her forehead against his chest and tried to calm her breathing. Maybe the shock was wearing off?

"You could have died. I saw what happened, _your skin_," Jo moaned. Hulk's grip tightened to a point just shy of painful, and Jo pressed her forehead harder against him. Like she wanted to crawl inside and hold his skin on with her bare hands. It didn't make any sense, but she couldn't breathe right and her eyes were burning.

"I'm fine. It hurt, but I'm stronger than him," Hulk huffed. Jo listened to the sound of the gate opening and closing, and she sighed in relief once they were inside the mansion. No one could hurt them inside the mansion; Tony's paranoia made sure of that. Hulk made quick work of the stairs, and Jo realized for the first time that the hallways were really big but still looked small with Hulk walking down them. They reached Bruce's room in no time at all, and Hulk gently laid Jo down at the foot of the bed. Her spine was still repairing, so she couldn't move her legs.

"Go get some rest, Hulk," Jo whispered.

"You too." She watched as Hulk seemed to shrink in on himself, until Bruce was standing in front of her and clutching a large blanket to himself. His eyes blinked owlishly before focusing on her, and Jo felt the first tear slip from her eye. It was followed by more, many more, until she was sobbing so hard that the mattress shook under her. Familiar rough hands gently grabbed her arms and pulled her up, and she curled into Bruce's chest as much as she could without using her legs.

"Fuck, Bruce, your _skin_." Jo was shaking everywhere she had mobility, and she couldn't stop fucking crying. All she could see were the bones of Hulk's hands as they dug into the ground, the strong muscles exposed to the open air, his face stripped bare and the sharp jut of a jawbone as he roared.

"I know, but we're okay now. We're okay, we're here," Bruce murmured into her hair. She knew that he was okay, but those images just wouldn't go away. Jo's fingers pressed into his skin hard enough to leave bruises just to feel it even as she cried onto the skin of his chest. Once the sobbing died down, Bruce carried her into the bathroom and gently stripped her. He had to hold her up until halfway through the shower, when her spine finally blazed and reconnected her spinal cord. Her legs were shaky, but they managed to stay unbroken during the fight and held her easily enough. Still, she made sure they were touching at all times.

"I'm sorry, but I can't…stop." Her fingers roughly brushed her cheeks, but the tears just kept coming. It was like a never ending faucet, constantly dripping. They dried off with the same towel, and Bruce kept a hand on her hip as she roughly dried her hair with a giant towel. When he made a move to grab some pajamas, Jo grabbed his hand and tried to think of a way to ask what she wanted. In the end, Bruce must have understood what she was too embarrassed to say out loud, and led her over to the bed. They burrowed under his blankets naked, and Jo pressed herself completely against him. She needed to feel his skin against hers, and as much of it as possible. After they were settled, Jo was spread across him like an extra blanket and still leaking tears.

"It's going to be okay, Jo."

"I know." It wasn't going to be okay, because she could still _see_ and she couldn't stop _crying_. She's seen a lot of injuries and a lot of sick shit over the years, but she cared about Hulk and had to watch as he was flayed alive without being able to do anything about it. No, it was not okay.

**.xXx.**

_Oh, fuck…it was happening all over again. Hulk's roar sounded more like a scream as the skin was torn off him in strips, but Jo wasn't pressed against the hard ground this time. She was standing and hands were holding onto her shoulders. It wasn't even a tight hold; it was just a light grip. Someone was breathing against her ear, and Hulk was _screaming_._

"_You screamed worse than that with only a little skin removed." A hand moved to press against her abdomen, where said-skin had been surgically ripped away. "You would not have survived that, Josephine."_

"_You're not real, Serrens. You're locked up where you can't hurt anyone anymore." None of the ROSE doctors were in The Cube or Big House, so they weren't free. If Serrens wasn't real, then neither was Hulk's scream. _

"_What have I told you about that __**sound**__?!" It wasn't Vector that was controlling the blasts, it was Rickard. Rickard's twisted face as he tortured all the sound away and started picking at the exposed muscles to reveal the bones beneath. _

"_**NO!**__" Jo was struggling against a grip that wasn't physically strong enough to hold her back when everything changed. The hands disappeared, and her knees hit the snowy ground. The street was gone, Rickard and Serrens were gone, and she couldn't see Hulk. _

_The cold was seeping into her skin without freezing her, because this wasn't her nightmare. She looked around her and saw a kneeling figure, and she slowly started to crawl to his side. It was Bruce, it had to be Bruce, but she didn't know what was happening. She was almost to his side when she saw his hands. They weren't resting in his lap like she thought; he was holding a gun and sliding his fingers across the barrel. He was alone, so why did he have a gun? Why was he on what had to be a mountain? Nothing was making any sense. _

"_Bruce?"_

"_I've killed people. I hacked the files from Ross's database. I've seen their faces, their families." Bruce's words were said with light puffs into the cold air, and Jo was stuck in place. She was almost within reaching distance, but she felt like she was an ocean away. _

"_You didn't mean to. It was an accident." Jo knew that Hulk never meant to kill anyone, because Hulk was ultimately __**good**_**. **

"_One was a soldier. His little boy isn't even a year old. He's never going to know his father, because of me. In Harlem, there was a little girl. She was only four, and I—" His words were choked off, and Jo felt her chest constricting. With Bruce's help, she could see a picture of a smiling little girl with big blue eyes. She could see several faces, young and old, all dead. _

"_Bruce, it's going to be okay." It was what he said to her. He was sobbing without tears, but his hands were steady. Jo wanted to reach for him, to try and soothe him, but she couldn't move. She could feel it now…the pain that was so wrapped around him that nothing else existed. She couldn't even hear Hulk because he was buried under the darkness. _

"_I never wanted to be a monster. I just wanted to be _good_," Bruce sighed. Jo opened her mouth to tell him that he was good, he was a hero, when he raised the gun. His teeth locked around the barrel, and Jo's lungs stopped working. His eyes were open when he squeezed the trigger, and Jo cried out as the gun fired. Hulk tore himself from Bruce's mind with a scream, and Jo felt herself falling as Hulk roared his anguish at the sky. _

**.xXx.**

Jo could still hear Hulk roaring as she was jolted back into consciousness, because she was laying on his stomach as he thrashed in his sleep. She tangled a sheet around her naked body as she moved up onto his chest and locked her hands on his cheeks. She yelled his name as she grabbed his shoulders to shake him, and she almost cried from sheer relief when his eyes popped open. They were wide and panicked, and she smoothed a hand across his face. Her body rose and fell with his rapid breathing, and she made soft cooing noises.

"Shh, Hulk, you're okay now." She was getting sick and tired of hearing those words, and of saying them. Hulk nodded, and she felt him quickly retreating. She was lowered down until she was nearly straddling Bruce's chest, and this time it was wide brown eyes looking at her.

"Jo?" _Bruce was kneeling in the snow, shaking, with his teeth against the barrel._

"Oh, fuck." Jo staggered to the bathroom and hit her knees just in time to empty her stomach into the toilet, and she clutched her sheet tighter as she puked up everything she'd ever eaten. She was pretty sure she saw the sticky blue glue she ate in first grade on a dare, and her body fell into a slump when it was finally over.

"Jo?" Spine straightening, she pulled herself into some semblance of "up" and looked over at the doorway. Bruce had a pair of pajama pants hanging low on his hips and his hair sticking up everywhere, but Jo's eyes were locked on his.

"You tried to kill yourself, and Hulk." Her voice wasn't accusing; it was just…sad. So fucking sad, because she could still feel how Bruce felt on that mountainside.

"I was in a very low place." Bruce's voice was faint, like he was scared of her reaction.

"You were so defeated, and Hulk was so…"

"Angry," Bruce finished. Jo's head snapped up, and she just stared at him.

"No, scared. He was so scared, because you had him pushed so far into the darkness and you tried to kill both of you. You tried to put the both of you in the dark forever, and he was so scared. For himself, and for you." This time her tone was accusing, and it was because she felt Hulk's fear before she woke up. Bruce looked shocked, and Jo almost felt sorry for snapping at him. Almost, but not completely. He needed to know what he had done to Hulk.

"I didn't know."

"Well, now you do." She shakily got to her feet and shuffled over to the sink. Toothpaste, lots of toothpaste, coated her toothbrush and then she got down to washing the vile taste out of her mouth. She was rinsing when Bruce finally spoke again.

"Are you okay?"

"I just watched you try to blow your brains out. What do you think?" Bruce awkwardly shifted on his feet and looked away from her eyes, and Jo felt like kicking herself. She was still freaking out from their big fight, from seeing Hulk so damaged. Then there was her nightmare, and then Bruce's nightmare…or was it Hulk's? Still, she shouldn't be taking her scared-equals-angry way of coping out on him. "I'm sorry, Bruce. I'm just…can we go back to bed?"

"I can't."

"Oh." Jo was not going to feel upset or hurt just because Bruce didn't want to crawl back into bed with her and sleep until all their problems went away. "I'll just, uh, go to my room and—"

"No! You can stay here; I _want_ you to stay here." Bruce was lightly touching her shoulders, and she wasn't going to think of Serrens and his whispered words.

"You've lost me," she shakily smiled.

"I need to go…I just need to go, for a little while, but I'll be back." Jo nodded, a bit numbly, and Bruce let her go. She followed him back into the bedroom, and she settled herself into the bed as she watched him move around. He pulled on an old pair of pants and that was it, and she blinked up at him as he walked to the side of the bed. He pulled the blanket up to her chin and tucked her in, and she squeezed her eyes shut when he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. She listened as he left the room and quietly closed the door, and a sigh filled the room.

"Be safe."

**August 11, 2014**

Bruce went up to his lab first to quickly type up his report and send it directly to Director Fury. He kept the report strictly professional, with just the base facts. He didn't document how it felt to have his skin peeled off his muscles or the way his nerves screamed as he dug bony fingers into asphalt. He left out the sound of Jo's scream as her spine broke; he didn't mention what it was like to hear Jo's wrecked voice screaming Hulk's name while he thought he was dying. SHIELD didn't need to know any of that, and Bruce wished he could forget it. After the report was sent, he stepped out onto the roof and looked inside his mind. Hulk was definitely still awake, and Bruce could feel the fear now.

"I've apologized for a lot this past year, but I never apologized for that, did I?"

"_**No."**_ It was a simple answer, but the depth of emotion behind it wasn't. Hulk was scared of the darkness, and that day was the ultimate definition of the darkness that scared them both.

"I'm sorry for trying to kill us that day. It was wrong of me, and it wasn't fair to you."

"_**You hated me and wanted us both dead."**_ Bruce closed his eyes and brought up those feelings from the mountain again; he remembered just how much he hated himself, how hopeless everything seemed, and how he just wanted it all to _stop_. Next he pictured the way Tony looked the day he left, in wrinkled clothes and grease covering his hands. He heard Tony telling him that he was good and so was Hulk. (_"I just wanted to be _good.") He thought of the first time that Hulk read a book, Hulk learning how to add and subtract, and how he could be so gentle sometimes. Bruce could admit now that he loved Hulk and, in doing so, found a way to be at peace with himself.

"I hated myself more than anything, but I'll never do something like that again. I'll never hurt us like that again."

"_**I was…scared."**_

"I know. I was too." Bruce gently coaxed Hulk out, until dark green eyes were watching the sky light up. Hulk asked a silent question, and Bruce let his own knowledge mingle with Hulk's in a way that was completely new but made perfect sense. How could Bruce know things that Hulk didn't when they shared one mind? Hulk jumped from the roof in one effortless leap and started running, and Bruce settled back to let him go. Today was Hulk's day.

**.xXx.**

"Aaaaaand that's all she wrote. Literally," Jo mumbled as she pressed send. The report left for Fury's inbox, and Jo closed her laptop with a sigh. Or maybe a groan. She was still a bit achy. All of the sleep healed the major damage, but a few of the worse bruises remained. They were a sickly green color now with yellow outlines, but it was progress.

She took the elevator down to the foyer and hugged Bruce's purple shirt a little closer to her. JARVIS, who somehow knew _everything_, had the shirt and earrings delivered. The earrings were back in her jewelry box and she meant to put Bruce's shirt in the laundry, she really did, but she couldn't. The shirt still smelled like him, and how was she supposed to resist that? She strolled into the kitchen and made a gourmet lunch of pop-tarts, and she was taking a big bite of the toasted blueberry goodness when JARVIS interrupted her inner musings. Not that it was much of a loss, since she was mostly just worrying over Hulk and Bruce. She was actually a little happy about the interruption.

"If you are feeling well enough for guests, Masters Ben and Johnny are here."

"Yeah, let 'em in. Oh, and thanks, JARVIS."

"Whatever for, miss?"

"For being so scrumdiddlyumptious awesome."

"I shall take that as a compliment."

"Please do." JARVIS didn't say anything else, and Jo looked away from the ceiling just as Ben walked into the room with Johnny on his heels. They took a seat on the other side of the bar, and Jo just stared at them as she chewed on another bite of pop-tart.

"How ya feelin' today, kid?" Jo washed the food down with a giant gulp of ice water and nodded her head like that was an actual answer.

"I'm good. Still a little bruised, but I'll be good as new by tomorrow morning. Maybe tonight," she shrugged. Johnny was being unusually quiet and just staring at her; it was a little unnerving.

"How's the big guy?" That sounded a little funny coming from Ben's rocky mouth, but Jo knew that Ben thought of both Bruce and Hulk as a friend. (His thoughts on both of them was really clear; Bruce reminded him of Reed, who was also insanely smart and a little socially inept, and Hulk reminded him of himself for obvious reasons.)

"He's takin' some time for himself today, so I'm not really sure where is," Jo shrugged. As far as they knew, they just had a big fight and managed to wrangle the remaining members of the U-Foes. There was nothing to worry about.

"We saw footage of the fight. How is he even _alive_?" The words rushed out of Johnny, and Jo blinked at him in shock.

"Footage?" Ben clapped a hand on the back of Johnny's head, which effectively knocked him off his stool, and then looked at her.

"We were finishing the cleanup when Bruce's report came in, and Fury thought it was a little too clinical. Even for the Doc. Johnny and I went with him to review the remaining cameras on the surrounding buildings. We saw the whole thing," Ben explained.

"We saw the peeling and the snapping. You should've told us how bad it was instead of acting like everything was okay," Johnny said. It's been a really long time since Jo has seen Johnny Storm's serious face, and it kinda freaks her out.

"What was I supposed to say? 'Hey, guys, thanks for showing up because Hulk just had all of his skin blasted off? Oh, and I can't feel my legs?' Yeah, just lettin' it go was a lot easier, and we're both okay. I'm not sure how we're both okay, but we are."

"So why is the green guy MIA and you're here all alone?" Jo glared at Johnny and then threw her second pop-tart at his face. It stuck to his forehead for a moment and bumped his nose as it fell off.

"Because Hulk went through something that would've killed anyone else. The dude fuckin' ripped his skin off, so he's earned a day to himself. And I'm not alone. I'm sittin' with a good friend and a jackass," she said with a pointed look.

"Doesn't this place have a movie theater?" Jo looked over at Ben, who looked completely unfazed by everything happening around him.

"Jurassic Park marathon?"

"You got it, kid."

**.xXx.**

It was late afternoon, and Hulk was wandering aimlessly somewhere outside of Toronto. The trees around him were huge and let in random shafts of light, and Bruce realized that Hulk really loved the scenery. It soothed him. After hitting the ground outside the mansion, Hulk just ran. He ran for hours with no particular destination in mind, and he slowed to a walk about an hour and a half ago. Sometimes he let a thought drift to Bruce, but they were both mostly quiet. It was comforting for the both of them to just get away from everyone and everything. Running was something that they were both good at.

"Not from around here, huh?" Hulk turned with a growl and shoulders bunched up, and the man standing where he just walked raised his hands. The man was dressed in heavy boots that should've made some sound as he walked through the woods, but Hulk hadn't heard him. Hulk also made a point to look for weapons, but he couldn't see any. The man was only dressed in a pair of jeans that were tucked into his boots and a plain white undershirt, so if he was hiding a weapon, it was well concealed.

"What do you want?" Hulk asked. The guy raised a brow and lifted a cigar to his lips. He didn't light it, just let it sit there.

"I'm staying around here, and my roommate is driving me crazy. You're not here to make trouble, are you, bub?" Hulk's head tilted at the title and at the way the man said roommate. Like it was a question.

"_Sounds like woman problems,"_ Bruce laughed quietly.

"Woman problems?" The question meant for Bruce was said out loud, and the man narrowed his eyes as his arms crossed.

"Smart one, huh? Yeah, you could call it woman problems. You runnin' from a woman too?" The slow and rough voice made Hulk think of Jo, and Bruce felt the big guy's pang of worry as he pictured the way Jo had looked down at him after the nightmare. She'd been so worried, and Hulk could still feel the hard press of her flesh as she assured herself that he was okay. Bruce might not love Jo, not yet, but Hulk certainly did.

"I don't have to run from my woman." It was said with a tone of pride, and the other man huffed as he started walking. He walked right past Hulk and carried on down the path, and Hulk turned to walk beside him. He had to take smaller steps than usual, but he didn't want to get too far ahead.

"You're a lucky man then. Wanna trade?" The man's eyes squinted as he looked up at him, and it looked like he was grinning around the cigar.

"Not a chance," Hulk said with a grin of his own. His speech was beyond improved, and Bruce was learning that Hulk had his own rough sense of humor.

"Yeah, you probably couldn't handle my woman anyway. She's a handful." It was said in a gruff voice, but Hulk could easily pick up on his fond tone.

"_He must've done something really bad,"_ Bruce mused with more than a little amusement.

"_**Why?"**_

"_When it comes to problems in a relationship, it's normally the man's fault."_

"What did you do?" The man looked over and up at him with a brow that seemed perpetually raised and disbelief in his eyes.

"A really smart one. Normally the big ones aren't so bright," he huffed.

"_He must know some mutants, possibly even be one. Only those exposed to people like us could stay so calm," _Bruce said quietly. Hulk agreed, but he wasn't going to bring it up.

"Hmpf, I'm not stupid. You should say sorry," Hulk offered. Even he knew that apologizing was the best thing to do when you did something wrong.

"And let her win? Not happenin'," he growled.

"Then you're stupid."

"We all are when it comes to women." Hulk didn't say anything because he had a feeling that it was true, and Bruce agreed. "And where's your woman at?"

"Home." Both Bruce and Hulk startled at the honest answer. The mansion was home, and home was where Jo was. For the first time in years, they had a home. A real home, not just some hideaway.

"Home, huh? Then why are you here?" Hulk shrugged because he didn't feel like explaining himself to some stranger. "Okay, we'll talk girls some other time, _Hulk_."

"You know me?" Hulk looked down at the hairy man, who just stared right back.

"I've heard stories, unless there's another big green guy runnin' around somewhere."

"Just me. Who are you?"

"Name's Logan." Hulk and Bruce both searched their memories and tried to place the name. The only Logan that Bruce could think of was a mutant with the codename Wolverine, but he's never met him. He's heard Jo mention his name a few times, usually groaning about how she wished she was all steel coated like him. Steel coated…he's the mutant with the adamantium skeleton and fast-acting regeneration. Much faster than Jo's. There was something else too…and the last missing piece slotted into place.

"Hmpf, claw-man."

"Green Goliath."

"I've heard better." A lot of odd things have happened, especially lately, but this one is a little more random than usual. Bruce isn't really sure how to react to it all, but Hulk is taking it all in stride.

"I'm a little off my game today."

"What happened?" The man, Logan/Wolverine, looked up at Hulk with a strange look on his face. Then he shrugged, as if to say _what-the-hell_, and kept walking.

"Some asshole busted in and…"

Hulk listened as the man told his story, or at least the last few weeks of it. Bruce was listening as well and filling in any gaps that Hulk missed. It was an intense story, and the parts that made Bruce blush had Hulk laughing loud enough to shake the leaves from the trees. When he finished, Hulk told a much smaller version of his story. Logan was one of Jo's teachers, so Hulk was careful not to mention her name. He only told what happened the night before, and Logan nodded along in understanding. Hulk was sure that the man had been in more than a few close calls himself, and they both knew that just because you could heal didn't make the pain hurt any less. Sometimes the pain lingered even after the wounds disappeared. Even now, Hulk's skin felt sensitive and raw.

"I shouldn't have left her," Hulk huffed out. The two were sitting on a fallen tree, Logan with his cigar still pinched between his lips and Hulk's hands dangling between his knees.

"We always leave when we should stay," Logan said heavily. Hulk rumbled out a reply that was unintelligible but still made complete sense to his companion. A quiet mewling sound caught their enhanced hearing, and their eyes met as they turned and looked behind them. There was a tiny fluffball curled against the trunk of tree, and Logan bent down to scoop it up. He held the kitten up, and Hulk leaned a little closer to get a look at it. It was mostly gray, its tail looked like it'd been cut off, and only one yellow eye peered wearily at them. The other eye looked like some kind of birth defect, like it didn't form all the way and was sealed closed.

"The mother must have given birth somewhere out here," Logan stated.

"_It's definitely a mixed breed and won't survive for much longer. Its mother and siblings are most likely already dead."_

"Here, a present for the missus." Logan pushed the kitten into one of Hulk's huge hands, and Hulk looked over at the man. "What? My woman is allergic to the things."

The kitten stared up at Hulk with its single yellow eye, without fighting or trying to get away. Even Hulk could admit that it was ugly by normal standards, mostly because of the flat face and stubby tail. There was also the threadbare fur and dysfunctional eye. The kitten wasn't healthy, but Hulk couldn't just leave it. It felt _wrong_ to leave the kitten alone to die, not when Hulk could give it a chance. A chance that he didn't get in the beginning; a chance to stay out of the darkness. He pulled the kitten in closer to his body and felt its fur as it burrowed against him.

"My woman likes presents," Hulk said at Logan's amused face. He wasn't really sure if she liked presents, but Bruce assured him that most women did.

"Then you better get movin', bub, or she might not even let you back in."

"Hmpf, you're one to talk." Logan full-on grinned at that and actually reached over to slap a hand against Hulk's back. Hulk just huffed and slowly got to his feet, and he made sure that the kitten was secured in his grip without holding him too tight.

"Nice talkin' to ya, Wintergreen. We should do it again sometime!" Logan disappeared into the trees before Hulk could reply, and the big guy huffed as he started walking back down the path. The kitten gave a quiet meow, and Hulk gently touched a finger to its patchy fur.

"We're going home now," Hulk told the kitten. The kitten just blinked up at him.

**.xXx.**

Jo was laying on the couch that was thoughtfully placed on her balcony when JARVIS interrupted her inner musings for the second time in twenty-four hours. Once again, it was probably a good thing. She wasn't really sure what time it was, but Ben and Johnny took off around eight after an epic Jurassic Park and Disney marathon. (Disney was needed after all the dinosaurs.) She was still tired from all the healing, so she tried going to sleep. Sleep should have come easily after all the pizza and Chinese food she pigged out on, but all she could do was toss and turn. Bruce's bed was big and crumb-free, she was still bundled up in the purple shirt of sex, and she was so tired that her eyes felt gritty. None of it mattered though, because she just couldn't sleep. Needing someone else just to sleep was something new, and more than a little scary. So, yeah, interruptions were just what the doctor ordered. And now she was thinking about Bruce again. (Like she ever stopped?)

"What's shakin', JARVIS?"

"Master Hulk is on his way to your location." She sat up so fast that her spine popped, and not in that pleasant way that loosened her up.

"Is he okay?"

"Yes, Miss Jo, Master Hulk is quite well." Jo glared at nothing in particular at JARVIS's amused tone and strained her ears for the sound of Hulk's heavy footsteps. When he appeared in her balcony doorway, her breath whooshed out and that burning sensation in her lungs made sense. The damned man was making her forget how to breathe now.

"Hi." Jo could've slapped herself for the breathy sound of her voice and the stupid grin that was most definitely on her face, but she was so freaking happy. It's like she was just realizing how scared and worried she was, and why was Hulk holding his arm up like that?

"I brought you a present." He extended his arm and carefully placed something fuzzy in her upturned palms, and she forced her eyes away from his so she could look at her…kitten?

"For me?" The little fluffball, with its stubbed tail and one eye, was kinda cute. Well, it would be after a few feedings and an even hair distribution. Maybe. Who needs looks anyway?

"I found him in the woods, alone." Jo let the words sink in and softly ran her fingers over the kitten's fur.

"You saved him." For a moment, Jo wished that everyone could see this Hulk. All the people who hunted him down or thought he was a monster. She wanted every last one of them to know the Hulk that rescued kittens and read bedtime stories. Speaking of her amazing Hulkster…

"I couldn't leave him," was all Hulk said. Jo could get a general feel for how Hulk felt, and she knew that he really couldn't leave the little kitten behind. He literally hadn't been able to just leave the little thing to die, and Jo in her sleep deprived state was stuck between sighing like a teenage girl and crying like she did the first time she watched Bambi.

"We'll take him to the vet tomorrow and get him all patched up. How's that sound?"

"Sounds good," Hulk shrugged.

"Great! Now, how about a bedtime story for the two of us?" Jo raised the kitten up, who was surprisingly passive. So far, the kitten hasn't tried to bite or scratch her. It's the chillest feline she's ever been around.

"Can I read Harry Potter?" They started the first book a few days ago, and Hulk really seems to enjoy it if the way he's plowed through it is anything to go by. The series is one of Jo's favorites too, so listening to Hulk read it is like happiness wrapped in rainbows. Whoa, she really needs to sleep. Her thoughts were interrupted, _again_, when Hulk pulled her down. She didn't even notice the big guy stretching out on the balcony floor, and she laughed out loud as Hulk carefully placed her on her back across his stomach. The little kitten curled up on her stomach as JARVIS projected the page they left off on over their heads, and the page looked otherworldly framed by the stars.

"Malfoy couldn't believe his eyes when he saw that Harry and Ron were still at Hogwarts the next day, looking tired but perfectly cheerful."

Jo was fast asleep before Hulk reached the next page.

* * *

**Finis: **A little angsty, right? I honestly don't like hurting my characters. (I really hate hurting Hulk because I mostly just want to cuddle him and tell him that everything will be okay.) Sometimes a little pain is needed though. Hulk's fight with Vector is mostly canon, as in they really did fight and Hulk's skin was shaved off as a result. As we all know though, Hulk is a total badass and didn't even let that phase him. If anyone is curious about which issue and everything it came from, just let me know! The nightmare scene/suicide attempt scene was inspired by the deleted scene from _The Incredible Hulk_.

The last part was a bit better, I think. Johnny got slapped with a pop-tart, Logan made a cameo, and there was even a kitten rescue! And kitten rescues are the definition of fluff. Or at least a prime example. As for Logan, he's one of my favorite Marvel characters. I can see him and Hulk being total bros, in my own little universe. If you are also a Logan fan, don't worry. He will be returning later on, and you'll find out everything he told Hulk.

The quote at the end is from _Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone_, and it's the first line from Chapter Ten.

Also, I'm still debating on a kitten name, so if anyone would like to help, that would be awesome and very much appreciated.


	13. Beast: Part Five

**TIB: **First things first, I've decided that trying to fit everything I want to happen in a month is impossible. I don't know what I was thinking, so I've decided that each couples' story will take place over a period of six months. That way I can do everything I want to do without rushing things, and everyone can be reunited after Christmas!

Thank you to everyone reading! Especially those of you who review, because you make me smile. So I'm going to respond to your reviews here! Because I keep forgetting to say anything.

_**VioletAkuamoebe0396:**_ Thanks for saying it wasn't angsty! I like using deep instead; it was a substantial chapter. I love Bruce and Jo too! But I'm a bit biased. Not pregnant, just really upset. It's referenced in this chapter.

_**Shiningheart of ThunderClan:**_ I think you'll like the kitty's name. Isn't Logan the best? A friend of mine refuses to watch the X-Men movies because they're all centered around Wolverine, and I almost cried. They're both a little rough, so I can see them being bros. As for Logan's woman, their story comes after Jo's! If I ever finish it.

_**Snowfur09:**_ No one expects kitten fluff in a Hulk story, but I didn't let that stop me! I think I've chosen a good name that everyone will like, and thanks for reading!

_**shika93:**_ All of your reviews have made me super happy! I hope you like this chapter too!

_**auntjilly: **_Thank you so much for the review!

* * *

"_I like chocolate! Yes, I do! I like chocolate! How 'bout you!"  
__**Jo singing while watching violent movies**_

**.xXx.**

**Chapter Thirteen  
****You Be The Beast  
****Part Five**

* * *

**August 12, 2014**

Jo woke up in the best possible way, which meant that she was sprawled over Bruce like a living blanket and there weren't any crumbs digging into her thigh. She stretched and felt her muscles pulling, and she sighed as some of her bones did a wonderful impersonation of some popcorn. A quiet good morning greeting reached her ears, and Jo twisted herself around with a little wiggle so she could reach Bruce's lips. It was probably really early, there was the whole morning breath issue, but she really didn't care. She wanted to kiss Bruce, because he was okay and he was with her.

"Mmm, good morning," she mumbled after pulling away. Hair tickled her cheek as she burrowed against his chest, and she had a moment where she wanted to just stay in this same position for forever.

"Have I ever told you how much I love your wake up calls?" She could hear the smile in his voice, but that didn't stop her from tilting her head to actually see it. Yep, just as beautiful as she remembered.

"Feel free to keep reminding me, or maybe you can…Whoa! What the hell is that?!" Jo had jumped straight up as something brushed her leg so that she was half sitting on Bruce, and her hands dug under the blanket to pull out her assailant. A single yellow eye peered up at her, and she held the kitten up to her eye level.

"I almost forgot about him," Bruce mused.

"How can you forget this precious face?" Jo wiggled the passive kitten near Bruce's face and grinned as Bruce reached up to scratch behind one ear.

"We need to take him to the vet and buy him a few things. He hasn't eaten either." Bruce in Kitten Daddy mode was quickly becoming her new favorite thing.

"I think there's some tuna downstairs. He looks old enough for solids, right?" The kitten was laying on Bruce's chest and letting him rub little circles on his tummy, and Jo was one cute moment away from vomiting rainbows.

"I think he can handle solids. So, vet first thing?"

"Yeah, the little guy needs some TLC. Let's get movin'!" Bruce might've laughed when Jo tumbled off of him and nearly face planted next to the bed, and the kitten just blinked at her. Whatever. They had things to do!

**.xXx.**

"Okay, what's the little fella's name?" Jo looked at Bruce, Bruce looked at Jo, and the kitten looked at the nice little receptionist with huge blue eyes.

"Name? Bruce, what's the kitten's name?"

"You name him," Bruce said quickly. Jo tried to plead with her eyes that she could not name this poor little defenseless creature, and Bruce's eyes pleaded the same thing right back. Oh, fuck…this was not good! Not good at all. Too much pressure, and the nice little receptionist is looking at them with a smile that's starting to look a little uncomfortable because neither of them have said anything and the kitten is looking at Jo now with its single eye that looks like it's glaring so she has to think of something now and the only name she can think of is…

"Nicky!"

"Last name?"

"Uh, Banner?"

"Okay. Please have a seat, and we'll call your little guy's name when we're ready for him," the little receptionist said with a renewed smile. Bruce pulled the kitten towards his chest and led them over to some chairs, and Jo eased herself down next to him.

"Did you just name our kitten after Director Fury?" Jo buried her face in her hands and tried not to hyperventilate.

"Fury can never meet our kitten, never, or he just might kill me once and for all. I panicked," Jo groaned out. On the plus side, Tony will definitely approve.

"I think Nicky suits him." Jo leaned back in her chair and looked over at Bruce, who was clearly trying to fight back a smile. It was such a change from the way he looked the other night in the bathroom, after she witnessed the man she almost loved trying to kill himself. How could they go from that to this so easily?

"Little Nicky Banner. Hulk have any opinions on this?"

"He's still laughing." Jo dropped her head to Bruce's shoulder and reached over to gently rub her fingers against Nicky's sides. Bruce held her hand while the vet looked over their little guy, and Jo tried not to laugh when Bruce blushed as the older woman praised him for rescuing the poor little kitten. Apparently the little guy wouldn't have lasted the week without a rescue, and Bruce was absolutely adorable as he stammered out that it was just the right thing to do.

Jo spent most of the time trying to figure out just what the hell was going on in her life. She was still in a state of shock from their last big fight, could still feel the fear at watching Hulk being ripped apart in front of her eyes, and could still hear Bruce's defeated voice right before he pulled the trigger. Then there was the other side of everything. The other side where she couldn't sleep without Bruce's warmth next to her, where she wrapped herself in his clothes just so she could keep his scent in her nose, and where he made her feel like a scared little teenager all over again. It was all so much, almost too much, and it was scaring the hell out of her. Was Bruce just as scared and confused? He had to be, because this was new for both of them.

The thoughts crowding her mind were quiet while she danced through a giant pet store with Bruce and the newly dubbed Nicky, and their laughter earned them some weird looks as they let Nicky pick his own kitty bed and litterbox. They went a little overboard with the cat toys and got a very fancy collar, and Bruce was already talking about designing his own chip that could be implanted just in case Nicky got lost. It was so adorable that Jo could barely function and paired with the overwhelming mixture of fear/anger tangled in her mind, she was starting to get emotional whiplash. Still, she did her best to get lost in the moment. Because when was she going to get another chance to watch Bruce coo at a kitten? Even if the kitten was probably going to get her killed by one Nick Fury.

"Are you okay?" Jo's eyes snapped open and looked around her. Lab, right. She was stretched out on the couch, and Nicky was in one of his new kitty beds (they couldn't decide so they bought the top three) next to the couch. The little guy was currently curled around his stuffed black wolf, which made Bruce laugh for some reason. Jo could've found out why, but everyone needs a secret or two. Speaking of Bruce, he was working on Nicky's tracking chip.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Jo smiled over at him, but it felt fake even to her.

"Because you're not knitting, or reading, or singing, or dancing, or—"

"Yeah, yeah, I get the picture. I can be all deep and stare into space sometimes."

"Your eyes were closed," Bruce helpfully pointed out.

"The space in my mind? Or I might've been napping."

"You weren't napping."

"Are you the telepath now?" Jo was sitting up now, with her legs pulled under her. Bruce had his glasses pulled on and the sleeves of his dark blue shirt rolled up to his elbows. His hair wasn't messy enough; Jo had to fight against the urge to go run her fingers through it and watch the curls spring up.

"When you nap, you, uh, pull some of your hair free and nibble on the ends." Jo felt her cheeks heating up, because she was pretty sure that she was careful to not do that around people. Because what kind of person eats their hair? Not that she swallows it or anything, just some nibbles.

"You noticed that, huh?"

"I can be observant sometimes. Is everything okay?" Jo lifted one shoulder in a shrug and reached down to pop her toes. She could brush everything off and wait until she'd thought everything through some more, but why wait?

"We're definitely together, right? With the amazing sex and fuzzy feelings, the whole nine yards?"

"I'd say that's a correct assumption." Bruce's smile was soft and gentle, and Jo stopped chewing at the inside of her cheek.

"I really care about you. I thought you were going to die, and it felt like I was dying right along with you. I don't get sick, ever, but your nightmare had me scrambling for the toilet. All because of…Fuck, I was terrified because I almost never met you. Well, there's no way that Hulk wouldn't save you two, but just the idea of never meeting you made me physically sick. And not just you, but Hulk too. It might sound a little crazy, but I love Hulk. Yeah, he's gigantic and a little violent, but he's also really innocent in some ways. So I worry, and I care, and I can't stop thinking about you. I couldn't even sleep last night because you weren't there. Don't get me wrong, it's _amazing_. But it's so much and sometimes I feel like I'm drowning."

Jo sucked in a deep breath and felt relieved. Now that she'd said it out loud, she felt like all of it wasn't even that big of a deal. Caring about people was normal, especially when there was actual dating involved. For someone like Jo, whose first real relationship was based on loneliness and the only other one was filled with anger, caring so much about someone who didn't know her when she was a kid is a bit…different. It's overwhelming, and she can admit that she's a bit emotionally stunted when it comes to these things. When most girls were starting their lives away from home and falling in love, she was strapped to a table and losing some of her ability to trust. It sucks, but whatever. It's something that she's dealt with over the years; this is just the first time she's had a chance to put all those self-therapy sessions into practice.

"Jo?" She really needs to stop spacing out so much, especially during important relationship talks. If she had been paying attention, she might have noticed when Bruce slipped off his stool and walked over to kneel in front of her. She didn't feel his hands when they lightly gripped her bare thighs, and she's always hyper aware of his skin against hers.

"Sorry, just a little spacey today." Her smile mirrored Bruce's, and she felt his fingers flexing against her legs.

"Sometimes I feel like I'm drowning too, like when you fold my socks and dance in front of the stove. I'm not proud of myself, but I spent years hating Hulk and myself. After I accepted who Hulk really is, I didn't, I never…even if I love Hulk, how could I ever ask someone else to love someone labeled as a dangerous threat? A killer? A monster?"

"Bruce, I—" Bruce moved to grab her hands, which effectively shut her up.

"I wasn't looking for anyone; I was okay with just learning how to be happy with myself again. You came out of nowhere, when I least expected it, and just existed in the same space. You didn't jump every time I moved, you went out of the way to make me laugh until I forgot how to work in silence, and you…You walked in on Hulk struggling to read. Do you know what most people would have done? They wouldn't have curled up in his lap and asked him to read over and over again, until he had the story completely memorized. I hide things, bury them, but I've told you things I would never tell anyone else. I'm scared too."

"I've never heard you say so much in one go," Jo breathed out. Sweet fuck, she could listen to this man talk for hours. The more he talked, the stronger his voice got until it was so intense that her thighs were tingling and her heart was pounding. Maybe she could work something out with Hulk so that they could alternate bedtime stories. She still had a stack of unread romance novels somewhere.

"I'm not finished."

"Oh?" Bruce's head ducked down and when he looked up, Hulk's dark green eyes were staring up at her. It was a little different seeing Hulk's eyes in Bruce's non-green face, but there was no mistaking who was in control for the moment. "Hey, big guy."

"You love me." That was definitely Hulk's growling voice, and Jo could see the smudges of green across Bruce's throat and coloring his cheeks.

"Yeah, I do. You're my hero, my Hulkster. What's not to love?" Jo's pretty sure what she feels for Hulk is like how a mother loves her children; it's pride and amusement and a can-do-no-wrong attitude. It's sweet and innocent and easy.

"I love you too." Bruce was still holding her hands, so Jo leant forward to press a kiss against Hulk/Bruce's forehead. She held her lips pressed against the green tinted skin and squeezed her eyes shut, and she felt rough hands gently moving up her arms and coming to rest on her cheeks.

"Bruce?" Her hoarse voice was even thicker than usual, and hands held her steady as he shifted back far enough to see her eyes. Brown, so it was Bruce.

"We'll be okay," he whispered against her lips.

"I don't need anyone." It sounded like she was talking to herself, which she kinda was. It was something she'd been telling herself for years, that she'd never need someone to feel complete.

"I know."

"But I want you." Bruce moved so fast that it made her head spin, almost literally. One moment she was sitting on the couch with Bruce kneeling on the ground in front of her, and the next Bruce was sitting on the couch with her sideways in his lap. Her hands immediately went to his hair to lightly pull on it, and she felt his hands tracing across the bare skin of her back.

"I just want to hold you, just for a little while." His voice was even, but his hands were shaking against the hold he had on her ribcage.

"Bruce, darlin', you can hold me until the world stops spinning and it still won't be long enough." She felt his laugh and pressed her smile against his, and everything was suddenly okay. Everything was just the way it was supposed to be.

**.xXx.**

"Okay, Nicky, hold very still." The cat just stared at him with its one eye as Bruce gently inserted the tracker. Nicky didn't twitch or make any kind of sound at all, which made Bruce think about just how much this little kitten has seen in its short life. Probably too much. Bruce held the kitten close to his body and felt its furry head butting against his chest. So, feeding time. He looked up and over at the couch, where Jo was still sleeping peacefully under a big fluffy blanket. She fell asleep during their cuddle session, her words and not his, and he didn't have the heart to wake her.

Bruce quietly left the lab and carried Nicky into the kitchen. He's never really had a pet before, but it's something he could get used to. Especially this kitten. It might not win any beauty contests, but it's the calmest cat he's ever been around. He mixed up the kitten's food, set it down to eat, and went about fixing himself some tea to drink while he waited. Of course, now that he was sitting still and not busy doing anything, he could think about everything that happened earlier. In all honesty, he should have seen Jo's fear-fueled outburst coming. He was a little surprised that he wasn't the one that broke first, because this was intense for both of them.

Normally when two people meet and realize they are attracted to one another, they go on a date. They share an awkward first kiss, go on a few more dates, and take their time getting to know one another. They work their way up to that first sleepover and let their secrets out one at a time. At least, that's what he and Betty had done. With Jo, they packed months' worth of experiences into only a couple of weeks. Their relationship wasn't normal, but how could it be when one of them had an alter-ego was that was green and the other was a telepath? No, they were never going to have a normal relationship, so Bruce couldn't compare it to one. They had something different, something a little scary that was sometimes a little too intense and moved fast, but it was _amazing_. And it was going to work.

"Ya know, I was thinkin', there's a pool in this place that we have yet to break in. I talked it over with JARVIS, and he assures me that it's cleaned regularly and ready for some use. Whattaya say, Doc? Wanna go skinny dipping?" Jo was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, with all of her hair down around her and a towel barely wrapped around her. Her voice was still sleep rough and she looked absolutely amazing.

"I've never been skinny dipping." It was the first thing that came to mind, and Bruce was glad he said it as the left side of Jo's lips quirked up into his favorite smile.

"Then you are seriously missin' out. Oh, and, Bruce?"

"Yeah?"

"Why is the cat wearing an eye patch?"

**August 17, 2014**

"It's just not fair," Jo groaned.

"What's that now?" Bruce's glasses were pushed up into his hair as he looked through one of three microscopes, and Jo was laying on the couch. Nicky was sleeping in the kitty bed they kept in the lab, so it was a mostly quiet day.

"It's our two week anniversary, so we should be goin' at it like bunnies. And I'm super and everything, right? So I should not have cramps, but I do. Oh, do I! It's just not fair." Bruce looked up just in time to catch a glance of Jo's pout before she popped an entire Reese's Cup into her mouth. She was propped against the arm of the couch with the blanket pulled up to her chin, and there was a small mountain of candy resting on her stomach.

"I didn't know we had that much candy." Jo looked over at him and started nibbling on a Snickers bar.

"I took it from Tony's not-so-secret sugar stash. He might not look it, but the man's a total stress eater. Best candy stash ever. Ignore my menstrual ramblings and go back to your science," Jo said with a wave of her hand. She raised her current romance novel, this one had a shirtless man wearing a cowboy hat on the cover, and that was that. Bruce turned back to his science, but half of his mind was centered on Jo.

Two days ago, she strolled into the kitchen and immediately started cooking bacon. That wasn't unusual, because Jo normally cooked breakfast and dinner. What was unusual was the river of chocolate syrup that completely covered the bacon when she sat down to eat. Jo had met his eyes across the bar, looked embarrassed for half a second, and then shrugged with a quiet muttering of, "Fuck it." Bruce was no stranger to living with a woman, which included certain monthly habits. He was with Betty for ten years, and they lived together for six of those. There were all kinds of stereotypes surrounding women and periods, and Bruce has heard many horror stories over the years from fellow scientists (before the gamma bomb, at least). It was something he never understood, because Betty was nothing like that. She was just as sweet and patient as always; the only noticeable difference was that she took longer showers and didn't want to be touched at all.

Jo, however, was completely different. Two days ago, after eating chocolate slathered bacon, she pulled him down to the theater where they watched Jean Claude Van Damme movies and cuddled. Jo said all the violence calmed her hormonal soul, and she apparently wanted chocolate included in every meal. For dinner that night, she built a house out of chocolate poptarts and then made s'mores. Yesterday she was called out to round up some small-time villains, and Bruce was assured that Hulk wasn't needed before she ran from the house. She came back covered in mud and with a giant smile on her face. She was different, but still the same. She wasn't irrationally angry or threatening to kill everyone, so Bruce was convinced that most men were just assholes and that was why they got yelled at so much.

"Masters Ben and Johnny are requesting entrance."

"Let 'em in, JARVIS. Want me to keep them away from the lab?" Jo was getting to her feet and holding her shirt out like a pouch for her candy.

"Hmm? No, that's okay. I'll come down too; I can use the break." He snagged a tootsie roll from her candy pile and ignored the glare she sent his way. The kitten was still fast asleep, and he had food and his litter box so he'd be fine until they got back. JARVIS was also really good about telling them when the kitten needed attention.

"Extremis experiments not goin' well?" Jo asked as they stepped into the elevator.

"Not really. Want to hear all the details?" He looked over at her, and she smiled at him around a chocolate sucker.

"Maybe later. You know listenin' to your science talk gets me all hot and bothered."

"I always knew you were a freak, Jo!" The sound of a deep groan met Bruce's ears followed by a slightly higher pitched groan, and Bruce met Ben's eyes as Johnny rubbed the sore spot on the back of his head. Sometimes he was a little surprised at how easy his friendship with Ben was, but it also made sense. They were kindred spirits, so to speak.

"What brings ya here today?" They were all standing in the kitchen now, just standing and looking at each other. Jo was the first one to move, and it was over to the bar. She dumped her candy stash in front of his stool and then moved over to the fridge. The rest of them seemed to follow her lead, and Bruce slowly sat down in front of the candy. Johnny and Ben sat on the other side of the bar, and Jo slipped onto the stool next to his. She threw her legs into his lap, looped one arm through his, and dropped her head onto his shoulder.

"We just wanted to check in on ya, kid. Make sure the fight really went okay," Ben said quietly. Right, yesterday was the first fight since Vector and Ironclad.

"Yeah, I just mud wrestled a chick that calls herself White Rabbit. Seriously, how do these people reach villain status?" Jo tore open a package of Oreos and growled at Johnny when he tried to grab one.

"Yeah, well, I had to punch a frog. We all had a weird day. Share the Oreos!"

"Get your own!"

"Ben, are you feeling okay?" Bruce asked while Jo and Johnny continued to bicker. It should have been distracting, since Jo was nearly yelling in his ear as she swatted Johnny's hands with twizzlers, but it was something he was used to.

"Just worried about tomorrow," the big guy huffed.

"What's tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow is the day Ben promised this elementary school he'd show up for their annual back to school celebration!" Johnny yelled. He triumphantly held up a stolen Oreo, and Bruce had to pluck Jo's water bottle out of her hand before she threw it at Johnny's head.

"A back to school celebration?" Bruce asked.

"Yeah, I promised to do it months ago. Alicia's friend is one of the teachers, and she said it would mean a lot to the kids. You know, to have superheroes there. We were all supposed to go, but now Reed and Sue are off building the super prisons. We can't be the Fantastic Four with just two of us."

"Hey! What if Jolly Green comes with us? The kids'll love that," Johnny muttered around a mouthful of brownie. Jo was glaring at him, but she stopped long enough to smile over at Bruce.

"That sounds like an awesome idea! C'mon, I'm sure the kids will love Hulk. He's like a giant teddy bear," Jo smiled.

"Definitely more cuddly than rocks-for-brains over here." Ben's hit knocked Johnny off his stool and had Jo laughing like a maniac, and Bruce felt a small lump in his throat.

"_What do you think, Hulk?"_ He saw Jo looking at his eyes, which were probably green, but she was keeping quiet. She wasn't even yelling at Johnny.

"_**What if they don't like us?"**_ Those were his fears, have always been his fears, and it was time to put them to rest.

"_They will."_

"_**We'll go for Ben."**_

"Hulk said he'd go, for Ben." His voice seemed to almost echo in the too quiet kitchen, and he felt Jo nuzzling against his shoulder.

"Thanks, big guy. We'll leave you two alone and pick you up tomorrow at nine. C'mon, Johnny." Jo made faces at Johnny as he was drug away, and she slumped against his side once they were gone.

"Do you really think it's a good idea?" Hulk has walked down the street without anyone saying anything, but Bruce is sure that's more from fear than from liking him.

"I think it's a fantastical idea. Let some cute little kiddies meet the Hulk that I know and love." It was said with a sweet kiss to his cheek and another nuzzle, and she even held up one of her Oreos for him to have.

"What if they don't like me?" he mumbled around his cookie.

"Then I'll beat them up."

"They're kids."

"So? No one hates on my Hulkster and gets away with it." Her smile was so big that it made her eyes crinkle the tiniest bit, and Bruce leaned forward to lick a crumb off the corner of her lips. Those same lips met his in a chocolaty kiss, and his smile mirrored hers as she rubbed their noses together.

"We should go check on Nicky," he finally said.

"You just wanna get back to your science, which is totally cool with me. I was just gettin' to the sexy part anyway; Robert and Katie are hiding in a cave, and you know there's gonna be an exchange of body heat to keep warm. Help me with my candy?" Jo was looking at him and smiling, and Bruce was just starting to realize that this was his new normal. This was his life now.

"Bruce?"

"Yeah, I'm coming."

**August 18, 2014**

"I'm lovin' the shorts, darlin'. Seriously, I never knew that gray could be such a turn on," Jo drawled. She was still half asleep and sprawled across the bed, but she at least managed to get dressed. Well, mostly dressed. She was wearing a pair of cut-off denim shorts, one of his old blue tee shirts, and her heavy boots were untied.

"They're Hulk's shorts," he mumbled. It felt odd to only be in a pair of cotton gray shorts, which went to his knees, when he was getting ready to go somewhere. Then again, Hulk was the one going out today.

"You've lost me." Her eyes were closed so she was blindly groping around the bed for her fallen hairbrush. (Bruce did have a hairbrush, but it was more Jo's than his by this point.)

"I designed these to stretch to fit Hulk, so I can stop ripping all my pants. I'm running out of clothes again." Bruce tried not to sound sullen, but he really hates ripped pants.

"Your brain's such a turn on too. Come cuddle me, my sexy scientist." Jo had her arms spread wide and a soft smile on her face, and Bruce gently eased down beside her. Arms twined around his shoulders and pulled him down, and he felt his whole body go lax as his head was pillowed on her chest. Fingers combed through his hair as Jo started humming quietly, and Bruce tapped along to the beat against Jo's stomach.

"They'll be here soon." Jo stopped humming and moved her hand down to massage against the back of his neck.

"Which is exactly why we should enjoy this moment. Feel the peace and quiet, be the peace and quiet."

"I thought I was the zen one?"

"Where do you think I learned it from?" Bruce smiled even though no one could see it and decided to take Jo's advice. He let his mind empty, as much as he was able, and just relaxed into the moment. Felt the way Jo moved under him as she took slow and deep breaths and got lost in the deep humming that surrounded him. (Sometimes he thought back to Jo's nightmare and heard her gentle voice; that sweet voice that was so soft that not even desperate screaming could touch it.) It was so _peaceful_. He could even hear Hulk humming along, and Bruce didn't even know that Hulk hummed.

"Masters Ben and Johnny have arrived, if you are ready to meet them," JARVIS said quietly. It was almost like the AI didn't want to disturb the peace that was settled over them.

"Consider us en route. Bruce, would it be too much trouble to carry me? I can't feel my legs," Jo said with a quiet laugh. Bruce hooked an arm under her knees and braced the other across her back, and a quiet sigh met his ears as Jo nuzzled against his neck. A minute later, Hulk was standing in the foyer with Jo laying across his shoulder.

"Ready to go, big guy?" Ben just grunted and flexed his fingers, more than likely getting ready to hit Johnny if needed.

"Start walking," Hulk huffed. Ben laughed, Jo approved, and Johnny did as he was told for once.

**.xXx.**

"I gotta say, Tankalicious, your big green lover is a hit," Johnny said as he slung an arm around her shoulders. Jo took another bite of chocolate cake and told herself not to stab Johnny with her fork because she didn't feel like getting up to find another one.

"Don't be jealous of the green spotlight, flame-o." Jo knocked her head against Johnny's, maybe harder than necessary, and just enjoyed the scene unfolding around her.

When Ben brought up the entertaining schoolchildren thing, Jo wasn't really sure what to expect. She definitely wasn't expecting whatever this was. The school was outside of the city, it was a public school, and it was surrounded by trees. Actual trees! After going from Malibu to Manhattan, Jo was starting to forget what the big green things looked like. Central Park during a fight does not count. So there was plenty of open space, sturdy wooden picnic tables perfect for sitting on, and more kids than Jo knew could exist in one space. Jo thought it was just going to be elementary kids, but there were even teenagers milling around. Most of them tried to act like they were too cool to be impressed by superheroes, but Jo noticed a few of them looking over at Hulk and Ben as they hoisted some of the smaller children into the air. It was only a matter of time. Then there were all the parents and teachers, and Alicia was around somewhere talking with her teacher friend and dictating that pictures be taken of Ben as he was surrounded by small children.

"I'm not jealous."

"Then why haven't you gone all 'flame on!' with the little ones? It's a proven fact that all children are pyromaniacs; they even like fire more than chocolate." Jo could feel Johnny's stare, so she shoveled in the last of her cake and turned to look at him.

"Are you trying to trick me into distracting small children so you can steal all the chocolate for yourself?" Jo swallowed the food in her mouth and did her best not to go cross-eyed as she and Johnny stared each other down.

"Children and chocolate are a horrible mixture; they'll get sugar highs and crash too early, which means they'll be up all night. Trust me, their parents will thank me."

"She's got a point." Jo and Johnny both tensed and looked over at the woman now standing next to where Jo was sitting on the picnic table. Jo's first thought was that the woman was incredibly tiny, just like Kole. The woman couldn't have been over five feet tall, and her short blonde hair had a single black streak going through her bangs. She had a sweet smile, but her brown eyes were fierce. Jo liked her immediately, and not just because the stranger sided with her.

"You heard the lady. Get distractin' before they eat all the cupcakes." Jo tried to push Johnny off the table, but the man was being overly stubborn today. Or maybe she was just off her game. Whatever.

"I'm not distracting anyone just so you can eat yourself into a sugar coma," Johnny glared.

"So, which one is yours?" Blue met hazel and was immediately followed by manic laughter, because there was no way that they could have ever had a kid together.

"Mine's the big green one," Jo laughed out.

"And I'm with Rocky," Johnny wheezed.

"Oh, _oh_! Really?"

"You haven't lived until you've gone green. Just sayin'." Jo laughed again at the shocked look on the stranger's face and felt Johnny's chin digging into her shoulder.

"We really should not be allowed out in public. Why did Ben invite us to this thing?" Johnny groaned in her ear.

"Mama! Mama! Mama!" The stranger standing with them bent down as a blonde little boy ran up to her, and Jo's fingers itched to pinch his cute little cheeks. He had to be in kindergarten, or maybe he got the small gene from his mother.

"Hey, kiddo! I thought you wanted to go see the superheroes," the woman said. The little kid shuffled on his feet and looked away from his mother's eyes.

"There's too many other kids." Jo looked out over where Ben and Hulk were surrounded by children, and it did look like it would be hard for such a small little thing to reach either of them. What Jo was considering wasn't exactly fair, but what the hell?

"There are a lot of kids, but I think I'm bigger than all of them. Which one do you want to meet the most?" The little boy looked up at her with big blue eyes that must've come from his father and then looked over at his mother. The woman gave a nod and smiled over at Jo.

"Hulk."

"Yeah? Well, you're in luck, little man. Hulk is my very best friend, and you know what?" Jo shrugged Johnny off, slipped off the picnic table, and knelt down in front of the kid. She could feel the other woman looking at her, but this conversation was with the kid.

"What?"

"Sometimes he lets me ride on his shoulder, and I bet he'd let both of us do it if we asked. And if it was okay with Mama."

"Can I, Mama? Please?" The woman was looking at Jo now with a smile and a little uncertainty in her eyes.

"I promise that it's safe, ma'am. I won't let anything happen to your little boy."

"Yeah, go ahead." Jo held her arms open and smiled when the little boy wrapped his arms around her neck.

"Alright, little man, what's your name?" The little boy was comfortably propped on her hip, and he was just so adorable.

"Blake. What's yours?"

"Jo." His little nose wrinkled when he smiled.

"That's a boy's name."

"My real name is Josephine, but I think it's kinda yucky. I like Jo better."

"Me too." The little boy, Blake, tried to hide his face in her cheek as they reached the big grouping of kids. Jo pressed a hand against the back of his head and started weaving around all the small bodies. Sometimes being five-seven and taller than her own big sister was a drag, but Jo loved being tall when it helped her get through crowds.

"Yo, Hulkster! I've got a favor to ask." She grinned up at Hulk, and the big guy smiled down at her.

"What kind of favor, Jo?"

"Do you think you could give me and my new friend a ride?" Blake stopped trying to hide in her face and peered up at Hulk, and Jo all but melted at the big guy's soft look.

"_Making little kid's dreams come true?"_ Bruce's voice echoed in her mind as Hulk lifted them into the air. Jo could hear all the kids around them gasping and ahh'ing, and the little kid's smile looked like it was going to stretch right off his face.

"Hey, Ben! Wanna race?!" Jo could hear Bruce laughing, and Blake started clapping. It was a great day…no, it was a wonderful day, and it wasn't even over yet.

**.xXx.**

"Donna, these are delicious! Seriously, can I pay you to come over once a month and just bake me cookies? Oh, and make sure to bring the cutie." Jo poked one of Blake's puffy cheeks while taking another large bite of chocolate chip cookie, and she felt Bruce's hand gently gripping her thigh.

"How much are we talking? Because I am not cheap," the tiny blonde threatened.

"You're eating in a mansion," Jo said.

"So I should send all the bills to Tony Stark?"

"Yes! All bills, straight to Stark. It can be an early Christmas present," Johnny said with a big grin. Ben knocked him off his stool, which sent the two newcomers into peals of laughter.

Jo asking Hulk for a favor started something unstoppable, and Ben and Hulk spent the rest of the afternoon letting kids of all sizes ride on their shoulders while they ran in circles around the school. While they raced, Jo and Johnny got to know Donna. The tiny little blonde was divorced, the guy took off after little Blake was born, and she owned a bakery. After hearing that, Jo managed to talk the woman into joining them at the mansion for dinner. She promised to cook the meal, if Donna would make cookies for dessert. Blake was pretty attached to both Hulk and Ben by the end of the afternoon, so Donna agreed. They both looked a little surprised when Bruce came into the kitchen, wearing actual pants and a shirt, but no one can resist Bruce's awkward charm.

"No scammin' the boss. I'd hate to hurt you in front of our guests," Jo taunted with half a cookie sticking out of her mouth.

"I ain't afraid of you, Tanky!"

"I'm very sorry, but they're always like this," Bruce said to Donna over Jo's back.

"It's like running a daycare center," Ben huffed.

"I think Blake is the most mature out of the three of them," Bruce added. Jo decided to ignore the comment because she was holding Blake up so he could try and ring Johnny's mouth with the leftover chocolate chips.

An hour and several missed chocolate chips later, Jo and Bruce stood at the door to wave goodbye as the others left. Ben was off to go pick up Alicia, who was celebrating with her teacher friend after their huge success. Johnny was going to attempt to be a gentleman and walk Donna home, and he currently had Blake sitting on his shoulders and playing the drums on top of his head. Jo thought it was adorable, and she sighed as she fell back into Bruce.

"I think today was the greatest day ever." Bruce's arms were wrapped loosely around her waist, and his stubble was scratchy on her cheek but didn't stop her from rubbing against him.

"Today was better than I thought it would be," Bruce said as he walked them over to the elevator.

"Because you are amazing; you and Hulk are the best of the best. So, Johnny and Donna…think it could happen?"

"Are we gossiping about one of our friends and a single mother that we just met today?" Jo twisted around in Bruce's arms so she could see his eyes before answering.

"I worry about him sometimes. He obviously doesn't have any problems getting a date, but I think he'd be better off with someone that lasted for longer than a weekend."

"You still care about him." Most people would have said it with a bit of jealousy coloring the words, but not Bruce. It was that ability to just understand without judgment that made Jo feel like she was standing on the edge of a cliff and just waiting for the fall.

"A lot changed after ROSE, you know? Nothing was the same afterwards, and it felt like I didn't even know myself. Andy and I changed too, and I—"

"Changed how? I thought you two have always been close." Jo let Bruce pull her into his bedroom, because it was no secret that his bed was absolutely amazing. Jo kicked off her shoes, ditched the shorts, and whipped her bra off without removing her shirt.

"We were. I mean, Andy's my big sister. She was my idol growing up, and I worshipped the ground she walked on. When she was thirteen and her telekinesis went a little crazy, thanks to puberty, Ma sent her off to Professor X. I begged, cried, and screamed until Ma sent me too. Then when Ma died, Andy stayed at the boarding school for two more years because neither one of us wanted to be alone. When we finally did separate, I went and got myself kidnapped. You know how you're ashamed of yourself for hating Hulk?"

"Yes, I'm aware of the feeling," Bruce said as he stepped out of his closet. He was only wearing a pair of loose pajama pants, green this time, and Jo had to fight to keep her focus.

"Well, after the rescue, I was a little angry. I lashed out, a lot, mostly at Andy. She was the same as always, with the thick hair we got from Ma, and her big squishy cheeks. I, on the other hand, was shaved bald so some doctors could literally cut into my brain. My curves, which were my puberty gifts, were completely gone. I could barely keep bread down because I was only fed once every few days, and Andy was all mother-henning and trying to force me to eat. I didn't want to tell her how bad all the torture really was, but I couldn't do what she wanted either. It made me angry, so I lashed out and pushed Andy away. She made me think of everything I wasn't anymore, and we haven't been really close ever since."

"You still have each other. I know she called Tony and threatened him after your fight, because Tony called me while he was working on JARVIS." Bruce was sitting behind her, and Jo was laying sideways on the bed so she could pillow her head on Bruce's thigh. She was facing away from him though, because talking about all this wasn't something that she did. If she had to actually look into Bruce's eyes while talking about this, she wouldn't be able to get any of it out.

"It wasn't a fight, it was a breakthrough. And, yeah, I know we still have each other. I might've been a major bitch to her for a little while, but she's still my number one idol. What I'm trying to say is, I pushed away the people that loved me. I ran from Andy and wouldn't talk to Kole, because I didn't want them to see what those assholes did to me. I spent about a month with Dizzy, which only made me angrier. The only time I felt at peace was when Clint swooped out of nowhere and made me dance, sometimes in bars and sometimes in warehouses. It was easy with Clint, absolutely nothing sexual about it, because he didn't know me before. Didn't know my voice, wasn't used to the curves, and had never seen my hair. After he left though, that anger would come back. Then there was Johnny."

"The mission in Greenland?" Jo could feel her lips curling in a smile just as easily as she could feel the tear running across the bridge of her nose.

"We hated each other at first glance. He made some crack about not playing happy husband with Sinead, and I broke his nose with my still kinda bald head. Looking back, it was probably an inappropriate response since he didn't know my hair was a touchy subject, but the blood splatter was kinda impressive. He was lonely, I was pissed off, and we were dropped off in Greenland to play at being married while trying to figure out who was in charge of an underground child trafficking ring. Turns out that we were the obvious bait so that the leaders could focus on us while Clint and Natasha did their thing. I felt really used at the end of that, but whatever. Subtlety has never been my thing, or Johnny's, so it should've been obvious. Still, we attempted to do the undercover thing, and somewhere down the road we stopped yelling abuse at each other. We used each other, for over a year, which was a record long relationship for both of us. We might not have actually loved each other, not like that, but we still _know_ each other. He's still lonely, and I want him to be happy."

"He will be, in his own time. He has his sister, Ben, and he has you."

"He has you too." Jo twisted around to look at him and smiled at the confused look on his face. "Oh, c'mon, you and Ben are total bros now. That automatically makes you like Johnny's uncle or something. You know we're one big family. Extra emphasis on the big," Jo grinned. Bruce smiled back, but Jo's own smile slipped away at the shaky look of it. "Bruce?"

"I haven't had a family in a while. Not since…you know." Bruce wasn't weepy or anything, but Jo could feel the weight of what he was saying. She pulled herself up and smoothed her palms against his stubbly cheeks.

"I wish Tony was here so he could snark at you, because witty comments are not my thing, but I know under the snark he'd be telling you that you have a family now. I know we're not perfect, but you still have a family. I know I'm obvious, since we were living together before we were even officially dating, but Tony's the real obvious one. You know, I was convinced that my asshole boss didn't have a friend in the world after Pepper left him, until he got a call from a nice doctor. Tony's a typical guy when it comes to feelings, but he does care about you. Ben worries about you, and Hulk, and even Johnny likes you. I can't speak for the others, because I don't really know them that well, but you are not alone. You'll never be alone again, okay?"

Halfway through, Jo wasn't sure if she was speaking her thoughts or building off of Bruce's. She knew what loneliness felt like, and she could feel Bruce's fears running under the surface of his mind. Which made sense. He spent years on the run, hiding, and never letting anyone get close. Well, if Jo had anything to say about it, he really never would be alone again. Jo pulled Bruce's arms around her and snuggled into his chest, and she felt his cheek brushing against the top of her head. Her legs wrapped around one of his, and she listened as he started quietly humming. The song was easy to recognize, because it was the same one she hummed just that morning.

"Thank you." If Bruce's voice was a little thicker than usual, Jo didn't comment on it.

"Anytime, darlin'."

* * *

**Finis: **I know this chapter was a little longer than usual and had a lot of talking in it, but I still like it. It shows that Jo and Bruce are still just normal people, even if one of them is green and the other is a telepath. So I don't think of this as a filler chapter; I like to think of it as a relationship building chapter. Also, isn't Nicky adorable? Yay for kittens! And cute little kids crawling all over Hulk and Ben. (I was watching a marathon of Glee while writing, so maybe that's why it was such an emotional and fluffy chapter.)

The only references for this chapter are for the small-time villains that Jo and Johnny were talking about. Jo took down White Rabbit, and Johnny had to fight Frog-Man. Both are Marvel villains, so feel free to Google them.


	14. Beast: Part Six

**TIB: **Yes, an update! Consider it a late holiday present, because it is super fluffy. Like, I didn't even know I could write this kind of fluff. Also, I'll be replying to reviews down below!

* * *

_For better or worse  
__Til death do us part  
__**Marriage Vows**_

**.xXx.**

**Chapter Fourteen  
****You Be The Beast  
****Part Six**

* * *

**September 26, 2014**

Days turned into weeks, which turned into a month, and life carried on. It was weird how easily they just seemed to fit. Jo's watched a lot of TV over the years, so she was prepared for awkward living situations. She waited for pet peeves that would drive her crazy but still somehow make her like Bruce even more. Some of those were obvious, like leaving the toilet seat up and her nearly falling in during her sleepwalking trips to the bathroom. To be fair, she did forget to pick her clothes up off the floor and Bruce wasn't shy about announcing his dislike of the hairballs in the shower. Jo was banned from bringing food into Bruce's bedroom, except for that one chocolate syrup experience, because crumbs and linen don't mix.

Bruce still spent countless hours in his lab, and sometimes Jo laid on the couch and let him talk science at her. She was convinced that it helped him think, and Bruce's sexy scientist voice really did it for her. Jo made a point to cook dinner at least three times a week and breakfast whenever she remembered, and they even went on another dinner date at an actual restaurant without getting called in to beat up baddies. Not that they didn't fight the good fight; Jo's gone out a few times, along with Ben and Johnny. Nicky, their lovable little kitty, spends the majority of his time in the lab. The cat has definitely chosen a favorite, and it's not Jo. Although, Hulk is Nicky's ultimate favorite. Jo's starting to think the kitten loves story time more than she does, and that's saying something.

Some nights when Jo can't sleep, she'll sneak down to the library and dance on the table to quiet music. Dancing with her eyes closed isn't as fun as dancing with Clint, but it helps her to clear her mind. Then there are some nights that she'll wake up to an empty bed and JARVIS will inform her that Bruce is back in the lab. On those nights, Jo brings him a cup of hot tea and curls up on the couch. She knows that there's a crumb-free bed with a delicious aroma she could be sleeping in, but she sleeps better with Bruce in the room. She always wakes up in bed though, usually curled around a very warm body, so it all works out in the end.

Their first fight, if you can even call it that, was completely ridiculous. Jo has always said that her curves exist to keep her warm, Greenland missions aside, so she likes to keep her living spaces cool. Bruce, on the other hand, prefers to keep things warm. Neither one is even sure who started the argument; all either of them can really remember is the both of them shouting at each other for JARVIS to adjust the temperature. They're also unclear on who started laughing first, but it didn't take long for both of them to be on the floor and laughing between kisses. JARVIS, in his infinite wisdom, found an intermediate temperature that kept them both happy.

They both had cranky days, where they didn't really talk and instead just existed in the same space. Some days were just straight up Hulk days, and the big guy alternated between his lessons and just smashing things for fun. (As far as lessons went, Hulk was really good at history. Not just memorizing things, but he literally knew just about all there was to know when it came to history. Bruce was the most impressed, because he claimed to have hated all of his college level history classes. Hulk, however, absorbed all that knowledge and proved once again that he was there long before the gamma bomb.) Sometimes they went an entire day without ever putting on clothes and took time to learn everything about each other's bodies, like how Jo went boneless during foot massages and Bruce's left leg twitched if Jo scratched his shoulder blade just right. They were together, and it was so easy that it wasn't scary anymore.

Jo eased down her knitting needles and rubbed her fists against her eyes. She was sitting on the couch on her balcony, and the soft light over her head was all that she had to help her knit. She was working on another Tony sweater. After this one, he'll have one for every day of the week. Hazel eyes moved to look beside her, and she felt her insides go all soft and gooey at the scene. Since her legs and knitting equipment took up the couch, Bruce drug out the blankets she never slept on and made himself a nest on the ground. Right now he was currently reclining against a mountain of pillows, and Nicky was between his legs and trying to pounce on a little mouse toy that Bruce rigged up with some string. Every time Nicky pounced, Bruce moved the mouse just out of reach. Bruce looked so at ease, so at peace, and Jo could hear Hulk quietly snoring in the back of his mind.

"I love you." The words just popped out, without permission, and Jo could feel her eyes widening as Bruce slowly turned his head to look at her. His hair was sticking up, like a porcupine, from where he'd been in the lab earlier. His dark green button-up was a little ruffled and halfway unbuttoned, and his brown eyes were a little darker than usual as he blinked up at her.

"What?" Bruce looked just as shocked as she felt, because neither of them have dropped the L-word yet.

"Sorry, it's just…you're so, and I'm, we…I love you. I really love you."

"Since when?" Jo's starting to think that Bruce is in shock.

"I don't know, since you let me cover your nipples in chocolate syrup? Or maybe it was when you withheld shower sex until I cleaned the drain? Or that night you hummed for me because I couldn't sleep? Or when you pulled my chair out on our first date? Or when I was laying on a table covered in bullet holes?"

"Covered in bullet holes? When we first met?" He was definitely in shock, and Jo was feeling a little lightheaded herself.

"I was all hazy from the healing and blood loss, but you looked so adorable when you were all confused. You were wearing this faded blue shirt, I think it was the one I ripped that day Betty visited, and your hair was sticking up all over the place. I don't know when it happened, it just _did_. I love you, Bruce Banner."

"More than chocolate?" He was smiling now, so that was a good sign.

"Don't push it." She tapped the end of his nose and then reached up to touch those unruly curls; she never could resist them.

"I—"

"I'm not expecting you to say it back. You can say it when it feels right to you." She used the hold she had on his hair to keep him still long enough for her to press a kiss against his lips and then she was back to knitting. She felt Bruce staring at her for a moment longer, but he went back to playing with Nicky without saying anything. Whatever strange tension that was in the air slowly disappeared as they settled back into their comfort zones, and Jo smiled to herself. She hadn't planned to say those three words so soon, but she was glad she did. She felt a little…freer. It was kind of amazing, and a little scary, but amazing won out. It always did where Bruce was concerned.

**September 28, 2014**

"_Gangsta! Gangsta! So gangsta!"_ Jo was picking her clothes up, for once, and Bruce stopped in the doorway to just watch her move around the room. She moved the dirty clothes hamper in the bathroom into the bedroom, and she danced around the room as she tried to shoot her clothes into the basket. When she missed, she danced her way over to the fallen clothes and then moved off to shoot them again.

"_I'm just so damn flossy! And I know what you like! There ain't no gangsta like me, I'm gonna give it to ya every time!" _Her hair was put up on top of her head, and Bruce watched the ball bob as she twisted her neck in ways that should've been painful. She was dressed in a pair of actual jeans and one of her own tee shirts, and Bruce had a vague memory of her saying something about going grocery shopping a few hours ago. She managed to get a pair of rolled socks, his, into the basket from across the room and started doing a victory dance. Bruce's laugh was quiet enough to get covered by the music, but Jo still managed to hear him.

"Bruce!" She twirled around to look at him, and few long pieces of hair stuck to her sweaty cheek and neck. Her cheeks were flushed pink from all the dancing, and she was nearly glowing. A hand reached up to push away the hair as she smiled at him, and he could tell that she was a little embarrassed at being caught. He knew, without her saying anything, that she was embarrassed over the impromptu basketball and not the dancing. He knew that because he knew _her_.

"Marry me." The words just fell out of his mouth, and he wondered if this was how Jo felt two nights ago when she told him that she loved him. He didn't mean to say that, except that he did.

"Not until you tell me you love me," Jo quipped. At least, it should have been a quip, but Jo's breathless voice didn't really pull it off. Bruce crossed the room in a few steps and gently took her sweaty face in his hands. Her hazel eyes were greener today and incredibly dark, and she didn't blink at all as she stared up at him. Bruce could feel one of her cheeks twitching under his palm, which meant she was biting the inside of it.

"I love you." Suddenly her hands were pressed flat against his back and pulling him even closer, and she still hadn't blinked. Bruce knew it wouldn't last, because Jo hates it when her eyes dry out.

"I hope you didn't just propose as positive reinforcement to keep me cleaning, because it's probably not gonna work. I say probably because it's untested." She still sounded a little breathless, but she blinked twice so that was something.

"I'm pretty sure I proposed because I can't really imagine living without you now."

"And we're definitely not getting any younger."

"Are you calling me old?" Being this close, Bruce could see the pulse in Jo's neck pulsing. Her pupils were dilated, and she kept chewing on the inside of her cheek.

"Well, I wasn't gonna say anything, but you're gettin' a little gray. Don't worry, gray's a total turn-on for me." Fingers ran through the back of his hair and gently pulled on the gray strands, and Bruce pushed back into the feeling. "So, the whole marriage thing, effective immediately?"

"I was thinking in a more future sense. Just something to think about." Jo smiled, just a small tick on the left side of her lips, and pressed her face against his neck.

"Hmm, Josephine Banner. Sounds good, Doc." It was whispered just under his ear, and Bruce itched to run his fingers through her long hair. So he took his time carefully undoing it and listened to Jo's deep sigh once it was all free. Bruce loved her hair almost as much as she loved his; it was thick, heavy, and so soft.

"You should try braiding it." The long hair shifted in his hands as she pulled back to look at him, and he couldn't read the look in her eyes.

"I'm shit at braiding, especially when it's at this length. You sayin' you could braid my hair for me? Because if you can, we can go get married right now." Bruce felt his smile pulling at his cheeks as he ran his fingers through the hair.

"I can braid it, if you want."

"JARVIS! Arrange an early morning meeting at the courthouse; me and the Doc are gettin' hitched ASAP."

"Ignore her, JARVIS. As for you, this way."

"I'll keep Master Stark's lawyer on stand-by, Miss Jo," JARVIS said as Bruce pulled her towards the bed. Their shared hairbrush was laying on top of the blankets, and Bruce grabbed it before settling himself at the foot of the bed. Hands gripped Jo's hips to pull her close but to keep her just far away that he could reach her hair.

"You're the best, JARVIS, and I mean that. Will you be my best man?"

"I shall have to accompany you in spirit only."

"Close enough. Alright, where'd you learn to braid hair? This is a story that I need to hear," Jo said as she crossed her arms. Bruce continued to run the brush through her hair, just to make sure there weren't tangles, before starting to section it off.

"I worked with a lot of sick patients in India; adults and children, men and women, young and old. Some of the women would get so sick that they wouldn't be able to lift their arms, so one of the women helping me taught me how to braid. My first time was with a little girl, about seven. Her fever kept her sweaty, and her hair was even longer than yours. Her mother was sick as well and couldn't help her, so I had to do it. It got easier after that first time."

"That was very nice of you, Doc." Jo's voice was quiet, and he let his fingers lightly touch against her back before going back to her hair. There was just so much of it.

"It made things easier for her, and that's what mattered. Has your hair always been this long?" He almost didn't ask, because he could still remember the way Jo looked on that table in her nightmare. No hair, visible bones, and such a sweet voice.

"Andy didn't like long hair; she's always kept it at her shoulders or shorter. Ma was determined to have at least one daughter with long hair, so it was left to me. Not that I mind! I love my hair, even if it does get in the way. I'm just no good with it, with fixing it up. Ma used to braid it all the time, but I never got the hang of it."

"Your hair hasn't been braided since…"

"Since Ma died, yeah." Jo's voice was a little lower than usual, and Bruce wanted to pull her against him. It'd have to wait though; he was almost through. "I think she would've liked you. Ma was always sayin' that she wanted me and Andy to find some nice boys to settle down with, and she loved curls since we both have mostly straight hair."

"I'm not sure if I'm the kind of nice boy your mother had in mind." Jo blindly reached back to swat at his arm and then held still again.

"Don't forget that Ma was a mutant. I'm technically not human, remember? Ma would've loved you because I do." The words made something in his chest pull as his fingers worked over her hair.

"I'll take your word for it."

"You do that. How's the hair comin'?"

"Almost…done." There were several hair ties wrapped around the handle of the brush, and Bruce pulled one off to tie up the end of her hair. Jo swung around when he was done but instead of just saying thank-you, she wrapped her arms around his neck as she jumped on him and tumbled them both back onto the bed.

"You're the best fiancé ever! Can I call you my fiancé?" Bruce was lying flat on the bed, and Jo wiggled her way up so that she was straddling his hips.

"I like the sound of that." His hands spread across the width of her thighs as she ducked her head to pull the long braid over her shoulder.

"Yeah? Almost as much as your science?" She was using his words from two nights ago against him, but he didn't mind. How could he when she was smiling so sweetly down at him?

"Don't push it."

**.xXx.**

"I'm not good with rings." Bruce lowered the tablet he was looking at to look over at Jo, who was still staring down at her paperback. They were both sitting in the bed with their backs propped on the headboard and the blankets pulled to their hips, and Bruce had a sudden thought of being in this exact same position ten years from now. Twenty years from now. Thirty…forty…forever.

"Not good?" Jo finally turned to look at him, and her cheek was twitching again. Bruce was pretty sure that if she didn't have the regenerative abilities, the inside of her left cheek would always resemble a hunk of hamburger meat.

"I'm a peaceful person, mostly, but I still fight a lot. Comes with the freak powers, ya know? So, fighting's not easy on jewelry. I'll lose a wedding ring, you'll accuse me of slippin' it off for an affair, and we'll start to hate each other."

"That's a big conclusion to jump to, don't you think?"

"I've seen Lifetime. I know how this ends. How can our marriage work if I can't even wear a wedding ring?" Jo's eyes were wide and she was breathing a little heavier than normal, and Bruce glanced down at her left hand. That's where the ring would go, but Jo's not good with rings.

"What about a tattoo?"

"What?" Bruce was a little surprised himself, but it made sense in a way.

"You have a lot of tattoos, so why not get a tattooed ring?"

"You know tattoos are kind of permanent, right? As in, they sink into the skin and stay there." Jo looked as surprised as he felt, and she was gripping her book so tight that her knuckles were white.

"Are you already planning on divorcing me?"

"Just makin' an observation, Doc. I can work with a tattoo. Maybe I can put your name, so it's like a brand. It's kinda medieval, but I like it," Jo said with a big grin and small nod.

"Maybe just first initials. You can get a B, and I'll get a J." Jo's hand, the left one, clutched at his forearm.

"You want a tattoo instead of a ring?"

"It's more permanent," Bruce shrugged. He wasn't going to ask Jo to get something so big permanently etched into her skin if he couldn't do the same.

"Sweet fuck, Bruce, are you ever gonna stop surprisin' me?"

"I hope not," he smiled. Jo tossed her paperback over the side of the bed, rolled to throw a leg over his hips, and gently placed his tablet on the bedside table. Before he had a chance to say anything, Jo's lips covered his as her fingers dove into his hair. They scrambled to pull off as much clothing as possible without separating, even if they had to bend in uncomfortable ways and bite at tongues. It didn't matter as long as their skin stayed touching. Fingers scrambled and pulled against hips and shoulders, and Jo squealed out a laugh as Bruce tossed her back onto the bed. Her long braid fell over the foot of the bed to skim the floor, and Bruce fell easily into the space between her thighs.

"I love you." Jo's nose brushed back and forth against his, and Bruce moved down to laugh against the soft skin of her neck.

"I love you too." It was whispered into her ear, and Bruce got to feel the way her bare body shivered against his. Arms looped around his neck so nails could lightly drag against his shoulder blades, and Jo rolled her body up into his as he slowly began to move. Most nights, and days, they pushed and pulled at each other to reach their end. But some nights, like tonight, they liked to take their time. To let the pleasure build slowly and crest in gentle waves instead of like an avalanche. For Bruce, listening to Jo quietly sigh his name as her toes curled against his calves was better than any loud scream.

Bruce always tried to make sure that Jo came first. He loved being able to feel her fall apart against him, and he never wanted to miss a single sound that was pulled out of her. Tonight wasn't any different; Bruce didn't groan his release until the last tremors shook the body under his, and he felt nails digging into his shoulders as he came back down. Quiet pants warmed the sensitive skin under his ear and legs locked around his hips to keep him from moving. After their breathing returned to normal, Jo let him shift around until he was on his back with her draped over him. They could both use a shower but a nap was going to have to come first.

"Bruce?" Jo already sounded half asleep, and she was lazily walking her fingers through his chest hair.

"Hmm?" He was tracing his own fingers across the dark tattoos on her arm and skirting around the bright patches of color.

"I want us to be like this forever. Maybe not the sexy bits, because I'm sure my hip will give out eventually, super or not. Just this…I want us to be like this forever." She accentuated the point with a nuzzle against his chest, and Bruce was sure he knew what she was talking about because it was the same thing he wanted.

"We will be."

**October 6, 2014**

"So, Halloween is on a Friday this year, and I was thinkin'—"

"You're too tall to pull off being a kid, so you might as well give up on your chocolate hoarding schemes."

"Don't make me come over there," Jo said with a menacing finger point. Johnny spread his arms as if challenging her, and Bruce laid a calming hand on her shoulder. Jo leaned to the side so that her head was on his shoulder and glared across the bar at Johnny, who stuck his tongue out at her before Ben knocked him off his stool. Ben was Jo's favorite.

"Halloween plans?" Jo stopped glaring at Bruce's question and moved her gaze back over to Ben.

"I talked to Tony, well, JARVIS talked to Tony because we're all on some kind of non-communication lockdown…Anyway! I have permission to decorate the front yard, and I was thinking that we could have a little Halloween thing for the kids. You know, big decorations, lots of candy, and some superheroes. It'll be fun for the kids, and a little good press never hurts. Whattaya guys say?"

"I'm sure Alicia will love it. Count me in, kid," Ben said with a smile.

"C'mon, Johnny. You know Donna and Blake will be there," Jo grinned. Johnny huffed and looked away from her, but he still agreed to make an appearance.

"Hulk likes the idea too," Bruce said quietly.

"Awesome! Because I've already started buying decorations, and I could really use some big, strappin' men to help me set them up!"

"Aha! That's why you invited us over! You just want us to do all the dirty work!"

"Shut up, Johnny! I'm sure whatever she called you away from was dirtier than putting up decorations!"

"What was that, you—"

"Eris! Find Torch and Thing, and get all your asses to Brooklyn! Abomination is tearin' the place up and keep Hulk out of it!" Jo was still reeling from the assault on her eardrum when she looked over at Bruce, who was already turning a little green.

"Bruce," she started.

"He's **mine**," Hulk growled. He was still mostly Bruce, but there was no mistaking that voice.

"_I can't stop him, Jo,"_ Bruce whispered into her mind. Hulk's green eyes looked down at her for just a moment longer and then he was gone. Jo heard his roar going out the front door as she scrambled to her feet, and Ben and Johnny were running on either side of her.

"Eris, report!"

"Hulk is gone, sir! Next time, you should try asking if he's around first! I'm with Ben and Johnny, but Hulk's ahead of us! Clear the area, immediately!" Some very colorful shouting echoed in her ear before getting cut off, and Jo started pushing her legs harder. They reached the area after the SHIELD agents, and civilians were already running from the scene.

"Stop! You can't go in there!" Jo glanced from the hand on her arm to the young-looking agent attempting to restrain her.

"Hands off!" The mere fact that she didn't break his fingers showed her restraint, and she easily pushed past the few gathered agents keeping people at bay. Like anyone could hold her back right now.

"It looks like a ghost town in here," Johnny muttered as they raced towards the sounds of destruction.

"Must have already cleared everyone out," Ben said.

"We need to get up high. Trust me, being on the ground is not a good thing right now," Jo said.

"I'm gonna run the perimeter, look for stragglers and keep idiots out." Ben took off, and Jo turned to Johnny.

"You know I hate doing this." Fiery fingers gripped her wrist as Johnny took to the air, and Jo bit her lip to keep from screaming as the flames started boiling her arm. Johnny dropped her as fast as he could on top of a building, and Jo held her burned arm away from her body.

"It'll heal in a minute," she mumbled as her eyes followed the two bodies down below. Hulk and Abomination were locked together as they pushed against one another, and Jo didn't even pay attention to the agony that covered her arm.

"They've fought before, right? Tore up Harlem?" Johnny huffed next to her.

"Approximately five years ago, which is exactly why Fury wanted to keep Hulk away," a new voice said. Jo looked to her left and saw the woman that was usually with Fury these days. Hill's replacement. Jo was sure that she'd heard the woman's name, but she couldn't think of it right now.

"Keeping Hulk away from something isn't an easy task." Jo was watching the fight again, and she winced every time Hulk was hit.

"Even for his girlfriend?" Jo tensed and looked over at the woman, who had a small smirk on her face.

"How did you—"

"When he gets hit, you flinch. It's not rocket science," the woman shrugged.

"Still, perceptive, and the answer is still no. Hulk's pissed about their last fight, so he's not givin' him up this time." Hulk's head was slammed into the hard concrete, and Jo grunted when her still healing arm flexed.

"You could help him."

"Look, lady—"

"My name is Roslyn Bug. Friends call me Ros, Fury calls me Bug."

"We can't help him unless he needs it."

"He's just as likely to knock one of us out. I'm going to find Ben and see if he needs any help," Johnny said before jumping off the building. Jo caught a glance of his fiery departure as Hulk was thrown to the ground.

"I'm not leaving until the fight is over. Fury can bitch all he wants, but I'm not one of his agents," Jo said without looking at the other woman.

"I understand. I am to remain here until the fight's conclusion and report immediately to Director Fury, so we can watch together." Jo nodded, and they watched. Once her arm was healed up enough, Jo folded her arms against her stomach and bent down on the edge of the building to watch. She wanted to jump down there and do something, but she couldn't. This wasn't her fight, even though watching Hulk take a beating was tearing her up inside.

"He won!" Jo cheered. Abomination was down on the ground and not moving, and Hulk had one foot pressed down against his sternum. Jo couldn't tell if he was dead or just unconscious, but she didn't really care. Hulk was alive.

"Bring the truck around, sir. Abomination is down!" Agent Bug called as she walked off. Jo listened to her talk into her comm as she walked farther away, probably to a ladder, but stayed where she was.

"It's too bad I can't marry him today," Jo whispered to herself. There was something about watching your lover's green alter-ego get beat to hell and back that made a girl wanna get hitched, as soon as possible, before someone else showed up to dish out a beating. Who knows? The next beating could be hers. She's put away her share of baddies.

"I can have Master Stark's lawyer at the mansion within the hour." JARVIS's voice was so much gentler coming out of her tragus comm than Fury's commanding tone, but Jo didn't even know that JARVIS could come through it.

"How long have you been hooked up, JARVIS?" Agents were surrounding Hulk now, and Jo could just make out Fury's outline right next to him.

"Since Master Stark enacted the communication lockdown, Miss Jo. It is a way to keep him informed on everyone's status without distracting him from his work. This is just the first time I have had to use your comm."

"Because I'm usually at the mansion, right, okay. You don't report all the details to Tony, do you? Please tell me you don't, buddy."

"I only report that you are alive and well, Miss Jo." The AI's voice was just as calm as always, but there was something running underneath.

"Why do I have a problem believin' that? Wait! Tony's lawyer?"

"Mr. Jiles had the papers drawn last week and has been waiting for your call."

"You're the best…_everything_. Alright, JARVIS, picture a big hug. Arms wrapped around you, full body, all the warm fuzzies…the perfect hug."

"Thank you, Miss Jo. Perhaps you should check on your fiancé?" Jo rolled her eyes but did just as JARVIS suggested, because Tony Stark's brainchild was a genius. Just like his creator. She found the ladder that Agent Bug must have used and quickly shimmied down it, and she wasn't shy about using her elbows to get through the agents surrounding Hulk.

"Outta my way! Comin' through! Watch it, asshole!"

"Jo?" She paused in front of Hulk to catch her breath, and she smiled up at the big guy. Dark green blood was oozing out of a deep cut on his stomach, but it looked like the injury was already trying to heal.

"How ya feelin'? Everything okay?" Her skin tingled as it came into contact with the dark green blood, but she really didn't care. It wasn't as bad as the Vector fight, but she still needed to feel him.

"I'm okay. I won," Hulk said with a grin of his own. Jo raised her hands and flexed her fingers, and Hulk huffed before gently scooping her up and placing her on his shoulder. Jo smacked a kiss against his cheek and then nuzzled the side of his head, because he was okay.

"As touching as all this is, I'm trying to debrief here!" Jo glanced down at Fury and shrugged.

"Sorry, sir. Debrief away." Jo closed her eyes as she leaned against Hulk and listened to his retelling of the fight. He didn't leave anything out, and Jo was happy to note that no civilians were killed during the fight or before it. There were some injuries, but nothing life-threatening.

"Good fight, big guy!" Johnny called as he touched down beside them.

"Eris!"

"Sir!" Jo answered automatically, and her eyes popped open to look down at Director Fury. Agent Bug was standing beside him now, and the woman's golden brown eyes seemed to smile up at her even though her face was completely neutral.

"Get the doc home and make sure he rests. If there are any more attacks, I'll notify Thing and Torch." The Director might've smiled as he walked off, but Jo was pretty sure that she was just seeing things. Very sure. Maybe Hulk's radioactive blood was making her hallucinate?

"You heard him, big guy, let's go home. Ben! Johnny! I expect to see you at the mansion first thing tomorrow to help with decorations!" Jo called as Hulk moved off. One hand was braced against her thighs to keep her from falling, and Jo wrapped her arms around his neck to hold on. It didn't take long to reach the mansion, and Jo was nearly asleep as they walked in the front door. It was a little later than her usual afternoon nap, and she completely forgot that there might be a visitor.

"Who are you?" Hulk asked in a growling voice. Jo looked down at the man standing in their foyer, and he looked completely unfazed by the giant green man glaring down at him.

"I'm Mr. Jiles, Mr. Stark's lawyer."

"I thought it through, and I wanna get married now. Like, right now. Jiles brought papers," Jo shrugged. Hulk gently sat her down as he shifted back into Bruce, and Jo was just thankful that Bruce had been wearing a pair of his special Hulk shorts while they laid around today. If not, then Tony's lawyer would have gotten quite the eyeful of her future husband.

"Don't you want to wait and have a wedding? With guests? Like your sister, and Tony?" Bruce looked and sounded calm, but his thoughts were whirling so fast that Jo couldn't make sense of them.

"Do I look like the little girl that dreamed of a perfect wedding? When most little girls were planning that stuff, I was building my own treehouse and teaching myself how to skateboard. Weddings are for people who want to make a big show of it but when it boils down to it, marriage is just a piece of paper and a promise between two people. All I need is you, Bruce." Jo's smile was shaky and barely holding on, and she listened as Bruce's thoughts came to a standstill.

"I made a tattoo gun so we could do our own," was what he finally whispered.

"More intimate?"

"Something like that."

"Alright, Jiles, what do you need from us?" Jo and Bruce turned towards the lawyer together, who smiled patiently at them and pulled out a giant sheaf of papers with tags sticking out.

"Just some signatures, and I'll take care of the rest." Jo was ninety-nine percent sure that there was a little more to the whole getting married thing, like a judge present, but she wasn't going to argue. JARVIS arranged all this, the guy was Tony's lawyer, and Jo has seen firsthand just how terrifyingly powerful Tony's wealth can be.

"Why hasn't Tony taken over the world yet?" Jo absently mumbled as she scribbled out her signature, _again_.

"Because, for someone like Tony, taking over the world would be very boring. He already has someone else running his company; he'd do the same thing with the world," Bruce mumbled back as they raced through the paperwork. Jo thought that Bruce would at least recommend they attempt to read what they were signing, since he was the more responsible one, but he was signing just as fast as she was.

"Good point, but if the boss ever runs for president, I'm definitely voting for him," Jo said with a big grin. She signed for the last time with a big flourish and handed the pen back to its owner.

"Same here." Bruce was a bit calmer with his last signature, and they both looked at the lawyer as he stuffed the papers back into a briefcase.

"I'll get these filed, but you're good to go. Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Banner." Jiles let himself out, and Jo turned to look at Bruce.

"I'm Mrs. Banner. I'm Jo Banner. I'm Mrs. Bruce Banner!" Jo jumped on Bruce so suddenly that he fell backwards, and Jo was still squealing when they hit the floor. She knew the fall wouldn't hurt him, so there was nothing to worry about. Who could worry when they were a brand new person?

"You're Mrs. Bruce Banner." He looked a little shocked, like it was all just starting to make sense.

"Can we go do our tattoos and then stay in bed for the next two days? Like a honeymoon!"

"A honeymoon at home in our own bed?" Bruce was smiling now, and his hands were lightly pressed against the bare skin of her waist under her shirt.

"There's a can of cool whip in the fridge." Jo's laugh echoed in the foyer as Bruce fluidly moved to his feet with her tossed over his shoulder, and Jo may have called him her favorite caveman as she bounced on the way up the stairs. If she did, there was no one around to hear her.

**October 9, 2014**

The room looked like it'd been hit by a tornado. A few clothes were strewn across the room, there was two empty cans on the floor (one cool whip and one chocolate syrup), and a bowl was barely balanced on the bedside table with just one lone strawberry sitting in it. There was a sheet hanging off the headboard, and the fitted sheet was mostly ripped off to show the bare mattress. All of the pillows and two giant fluffy blankets were on the floor like a nest, and Bruce and Jo were curled up in it. Even they looked like that they'd been hit by something. Bruce's hair was sticking up worse than ever, Jo's own hair had half fallen out of its braid, and they were both covered in bruises and scratches.

"Best honeymoon ever," Jo breathed. Their hands were resting on Bruce's chest, and Jo was rubbing a finger against the _**J**_ permanently inked into Bruce's skin. It was right where a wedding ring would go, and she had a matching _**B**_ on her own ring finger.

"Weren't we supposed to put up Halloween decorations?" Jo stiffened as she thought of the giant inflatable decorations taking up most of her bedroom, and she listened to JARVIS clear his…throat? How can JARVIS make that sound if he doesn't even have a throat?

"I took the liberty of informing Masters Ben and Johnny that you were both resting after the fighting, and that Miss Jo would contact them when you were both ready."

"You're a lifesaver, JARVIS. I'm still pretty sure that you're reporting all kinds of things to Master Stark, like the sassy ninja you are, but I still love you."

"Thank you, as always, for the kind words. Also, Master Nicky is getting low on food again." Jo rolled her head back and stretched her body without really moving, and Bruce smiled gently down at her.

"You take the cat, and I'll go make us something to eat. Something that didn't come out of a can," Jo offered.

"Mmm, sounds good." Lips pressed against her forehead, and Jo leaned back into their little lovenest to watch Bruce's naked form walk across the room. She booed, loudly, as he disappeared into the closet and barely had time to raise her hand to catch the shirt he threw at her. It was one of the few tee shirts he hadn't had a chance to rip yet, and Jo quickly pulled the soft cotton over her head. When her head popped back out, Bruce was standing over her and only wearing a pair of dark blue Hulk shorts. He's made a few pairs in different colors, and Jo can't get over how adorable the whole thing is. The stretchy pants that Bruce made just for Hulk, and there's the little wrinkle on his nose whenever he comes back to ripped pants. It shouldn't be adorable, but whatever. Jo's given up on trying to rationalize anything that has to do with Bruce Banner.

"Is there something I can help you with, Doctor Banner?" Jo asked as sweetly as she could. It's hard to pull off sweet when it sounds like she's been gargling gravel, but it never fails to make Bruce smile.

"I was thinking I could help you with your hair, Mrs. Banner." The words made Jo's cheeks warm and her chest hurt, but it was a good kind of hurt. It was the best kind of hurt; the kind that she hoped would never heal.

"You're one to talk. It looks like a bird's been nestin' in yours," Jo grinned. It really did look awful, but Jo's been stuck on that porcupine hair since day one.

"And whose fault is that?" Bruce's hands were warm against hers as he pulled her up, and Jo couldn't resist. She raised his left hand and brushed her lips against his ring finger.

"I didn't hear you complainin'," she said as she lightly nipped at the inked skin.

"I was eating," he shrugged. That's it; Jo was never going to be able to look at cool whip again without blushing.

"Don't try that innocent look on me, _I_ know better. Come play with my hair before Nicky starves, or we do." Jo tugged Bruce over to the ruined bed, found her brush hidden under the fitted sheet, and turned around so Bruce could work his magic.

Bruce's fingers gently pulled the rest of her hair free and slowly ran a brush through a lock, and Jo nearly melted. She loved it when people played with her hair, but she was a little protective over it after it was all shaved off. Hardly anyone ever touches her hair without her consent, but Bruce knows just how she likes it. He's not too rough, doesn't really pull on it, but he's not so light that she can't even feel it. Of course, her hair isn't the only thing she can feel at the moment. Her whole body is sore in a deliciously satisfying way, like how she feels after a really good spar or a long jog. There's a part of her that wants to curl up in the warm blankets and just sleep for a day or two, but she also wants to drag Bruce down with her and not sleep at all for a day or two. It's so confusing but still makes perfect sense, and she's mostly just happy that all of this doesn't scare her anymore. She's not even scared about being married to a guy that she's only known for right at three months. Fuck, has it only been two months since they got together?

"Do you think we moved too fast?" The words popped out without warning, and Jo was glad that she couldn't see Bruce's face. She wasn't regretting anything, but what she had done was starting to sink in.

"If we were your average couple, I'd say yes, but we're not." Bruce's mind felt calm, he sounded calm, and the gentle fingers in her hair never faltered. Was it really that simple?

"Nope, we're super!" Jo smiled at her own cheesy joke, and her smile softened at the sound of Bruce's own quiet chuckle. Maybe it really was that simple.

* * *

**Finis: **Yes, they took the plunge! There are now two Banners in the world, and I think the whole thing is adorable. Very rushed, true, but still sweet. I don't recommend doing half the things I wrote in this chapter: home tattoos (with no professionals involved, very dangerous), fights with people named The Abomination, touching radioactive blood, or marrying someone you've only known for three months. All bad, but that's why it's fiction. I will say this though, there is a reason for just about everything I write. This story is going to be long, but I promise there is some actual plot happening. It'll just take a while to come to light.

Only one reference for this chapter, which is Hollywood Undead's _Gangsta Sexy_. It makes housework and doing the dishes so much more fun.

_**xXImperfectionXx7:**_ I promise their reactions will be perfect! I'm afraid it will be a very long time before the whole gang is back together, but you'll still see plenty of everyone in the individual stories/chapters.

_**shika93:**_ Thank you for all of the lovely reviews!

_**Shiningheart of ThunderClan:**_ Of course I named the kitty after Fury! It was unanimous, and I think Nicky suits the little guy. Oh, I have so many wonderful things planned for Director Fury later on.

_**dragoness0420:**_ I'm glad you're liking it so far! I love writing my fluff, don't get me wrong, but I think this is the fluffiest story I've ever written so far.


	15. Beast: Part Seven

**TIB: **This one is really long. I'm a little sorry about that, but I couldn't decide on a stopping point. Think of it as a New Year's present. Replies to reviews at the end.

* * *

"_C'mere, Polly, and let's dance 'til we pass out!"  
_"_Ten minutes 'n' countin', Josie!"  
__**Jo and Clint drunk in yet another bar**_

**.xXx.**

**Chapter Fifteen  
****You Be The Beast  
****Part Seven**

* * *

**October 31, 2014**

"I think I'm gettin' fat." Jo lightly poked her tummy and frowned at the chocolate cupcake she was holding in her other hand.

"You look just as lovely as always." Bruce pressed a kiss against the back of her head as he passed her on the way to the fridge, but Jo didn't look away from her cupcake.

"Since when do you care about your weight? I watched you eat an entire pizza and chug a two liter of mountain dew in thirty minutes, and I think you had some chocolate cake afterwards," Johnny listed off. He was sitting at the bar eating sprinkles, and Bruce leaned against the other side of the bar to look at Jo.

"It was pie, and it was delicious. I dunno, maybe it's the cat suit," Jo said and plucked at the tight material covering her body. Maybe she shouldn't have decided to go as Zorro for Halloween, but she really liked the hat and sword.

"I like it," Bruce said with a gentle smile. Jo smiled back and then threw a bottle of water at Johnny's head when he started making gagging noises.

"You two are disgustingly sweet. Wasn't your three day sexscapade enough to hold you over?"

"Said Johnny Storm," Jo said with a pointed look. Johnny just shrugged and gave her his most innocent smile, which Jo could see right through. She was really starting to miss Ben, because he could at least knock Johnny off his stool whenever he got too annoying. Ben was off getting Alicia though, because it's Halloween!

"When are the kids supposed to be here?" Bruce asked. He was only wearing a pair of black Hulk shorts, because Bruce was going as Hulk for Halloween.

"Donna said the younger kids would start showing up around at six, which means they should be here right…around…" Jo's head was tilted to the side as she waited, and Johnny threw a chocolate eyeball at her. Jo easily caught it and placed it on top of her cupcake before taking a big bite. Fat or not, she was not turning down chocolate on Halloween.

"What's with the weird pause?" Johnny asked after she swallowed.

"Normally when someone says 'right around now,' the doorbell or something rings. I was pausing for dramatic effect."

"You do know this is real life and not a movie, right?" Jo shrugged because the second half of the cupcake was making her cheeks bulge.

"I'm sure they'll be here soon." The last word left Bruce's lips right as the doorbell rang, and Jo mumbled something angrily around her mouthful of cupcake. The look made Johnny laugh, which just made the angry grumblings louder, and Bruce gently squeezed her shoulder with a green-tinted hand as he headed out of the kitchen.

"I'm gonna go give candy to little kids," Jo said brightly. She skipped around the bar to knock Johnny off his stool and practically skipped out of the kitchen. There was something about the look of shock on Johnny's face when he started to fall, even though he got knocked over by her or Ben on a regular basis, that just made the world brighter.

"You're evil! Eeeeevil!" Jo just cackled and went to join Hulk outside, where there was already a huge gathering of kids. Little kids in all kinds of costumes were surrounding Hulk and ignoring the tables with little cauldrons of candy. It was adorable and perfect and, if Jo looked closely, she could see a dark smudging of ink on Hulk's finger. Yep, definitely perfect.

**.xXx.**

"So, you're like really banging the Hulk?"

"Language! There are little ears all around, and how old are you anyway?"

"Nineteen." Ben, Johnny, and Hulk were chasing small children around the well-decorated yard. Alicia and Donna took over the candy table to keep things civil, and they had their hands full with the little ones. Jo had been chasing the little ones around with the others until she got a bit winded, which was becoming increasingly common lately. So now she was propped against a giant pumpkin, where Nicky was curled up and sleeping peacefully. He really was a great cat, even if he wasn't a particularly fluffy kitten. Well, he was fluffy in patches.

"And you're asking me about Hulk because why?" The young teenager standing next to her had fluffy blonde hair in a cut that made Jo think of Kole, and her giant blue eyes seemed to never blink.

"Because my little sister wouldn't shut up until I brought her to see Hulk, so obviously I've been keeping an eye on the big green guy, and I totally saw you kissing his cheek before coming to lay on the great pumpkin." Jo looked away from the girl to where Hulk was letting kids try to climb him.

"Which one is she?" Jo caught sight of a pink princess and a witch with a very big hat, but she couldn't see any other little girls around Hulk.

"Ironman, of course," the girl said and pointed. Jo searched for a little Ironman, and there was a little girl sitting squarely on top of Hulk's head with her red-covered hands high in the air. If that wasn't a victory pose, Jo didn't know what was. Jo quickly snapped a picture of the little girl and sent it to Tony with a caption that said "_ur #1 fan_" and a smiley face. Jo texted Tony pretty regularly and never got a reply that wasn't a picture of his face, but it didn't stop her from texting him.

"I think that's the cutest thing I've ever seen. Your sister wins everything," Jo said with a happy smile.

"So, doing the green tango?" Jo looked over at the girl, who was definitely smiling with a very mischievous look in her big pretty blue eyes.

"I'm definitely not doing inappropriate things with the big green guy. His alter-ego, on the other hand." Jo looked over at the girl with a big smile that set her off into laughter, and the sweet sound of it made her smile more genuine and less smirky.

"Kim! Don't annoy Jo! She's our gracious host!" Donna called from her spot next to Johnny. She was handing the laughing buffoon a big cup of punch, that Bruce threw together, and she was glaring at the blonde next to Jo.

"I've been going easy on her, Aunt Nosy!" the teenager called back.

"Donna's your aunt?" Jo asked. Jo really liked Donna, and not just because the feisty woman brought over cupcakes and other delicious baked goods from time to time.

"Yeah. My mom is her big sister, but Mom had me a little too early. Eh, whatever. Aunt Donna's awesome, and Blake and Bonnie are the same age," she shrugged. Kim, the teenager's name was Kim.

"Well, in that case, you and little Bonnie are welcome over anytime. Any relative of Donna's is a friend of mine," Jo said with a gentle smile. Jo loved Donna's visits, even though they only coincided with Johnny's visits. That and she was becoming fast friends with Alicia, but no one could resist Alicia's gentle and no-nonsense ways.

"Blake's already tried, but Bonnie refuses to come over until Ironman is back in the city. Not really sure why she was so deadest on coming tonight, so maybe her playdate with the Hulk will change that," Kim shrugged. Jo's phone vibrated against her ass-pocket, and she pulled it out to see a picture of Tony's face. There was a sticky note, a dark yellow one that could almost be called gold, plastered to his forehead. Written in red ink was "_I Approve_" in Tony's neatest print, so it was just this side of legible. Jo texted back the little girl's name and explained that she was Donna's niece. She hasn't actually talked to Tony, not a single conversation, but she knows that he knows who Donna is. There's no way someone's been in his house that he doesn't know about.

"Hulk is good with kids," Jo mused. Kim's little sister, Bonnie, was still sitting on top of Hulk's head. There were also two kids on each shoulder, and two more kids were hanging off his arms so he could dangle them in the air. Ben was pretty much in the same position, but he had children wrapped around his legs too that laughed and squealed every time he stomped his feet. Johnny was just letting the kids around him actually tackle him to the ground, and Jo could hear his loud laughter from across the yard.

"I have to admit, when Blake first started talking about the Hulk, I was a little worried. I was fourteen when he tore up Harlem, and you can't really forget that kind of destruction. Now he looks like a big green teddy bear," Kim said with a quiet huff. Jo hummed and thought back to Harlem; watching Hulk and Abomination fight back then had been completely awe inspiring. They really did tear through Harlem and didn't even bother to worry about everything they were destroying. Or the lives that were lost. Then there was the fight three weeks ago between the same two people, but it was completely different. Hulk kept Abomination confined to one area, so there was barely any property damage at all, and there weren't any casualties.

"He was different back then, but people change all the time." For just a moment, Jo saw flashes from Bruce's nightmare. The one where she could see the people that died as a result of Hulk's rage, but she quickly shook the images away. It's not like her hands were clean.

"That is one hell of a change. Where'd you find the ugly kitty?" Nicky's head popped up, like he knew someone was talking about him, and Jo reached up to scratch behind an ear. So the little thing has patchy gray fur, he's missing a tail, his face is smushed flat, and he has way too much intelligence in his single dark golden eye. It really is like living with a feline Fury, eye patch and all.

"Hulk found him and brought him home. Poor little guy was in rough shape too, so it's a good thing he did." There might have been some pride in her voice, maybe, as she lightly petted the kitten.

"You're saying the Hulk rescued a dying kitten? What kind of life do you guys lead?" Kim sounded awed and confused, and Jo smiled over at her. A real smile, not one her big shit-eating grins.

"A super one!"

**.xXx.**

The majority of the kids were gone, except for two sleepy kindergarteners. Blake was propped on Johnny's hip with his little blonde head on his shoulder, and it didn't look like the little boy was moving any time soon. Donna was standing next to Johnny and taking turns smiling at the two of them and at the other little spectacle going on. Bonnie was still on her perch on top of Hulk's head, and Kim was trying to coax her down. Hulk wasn't a big help because he just smiled right on. Alicia was on Ben's back and kept swatting at him every time he laughed at the display, not that it did any good. Although, Jo had a feeling that she wasn't hitting him very hard going by the big smile on her face.

"Bonnie, I have a message from Ironman, but you'll have to come down if you want to see it," Jo called out. The little girl slid off Hulk into Kim's waiting arms, and Jo smiled at the little girl as she whipped her mask off to look up at her. Jo pulled her phone out and held out Tony's last text message, which was very similar to the earlier one. This time he had two dark yellow sticky notes on his forehead, and the carefully penned messages said, "_Hi, Bonnie! Keep the city safe for me!" _and _"I'll see you when I get back!" _

"For Ironman!" Bonnie called after Kim read the messages out. She then dropped her head onto her big sister's shoulder and seemed to almost pass out.

"We should get going. Your mother is going to kill me for keeping you two out so late," Donna said. They all said their quiet goodbyes, and Jo smiled up at Hulk once they were all gone. Johnny and Ben promised to stop by in the morning to help with the clean-up, so there wasn't really anything left to do tonight. It was all good, because Jo was tremendously sleepy anyway.

"Bed time?" she asked with a smile.

"Want Bruce to come out?" Hulk sounded a little tired himself, which made perfect sense. He'd been entertaining little kids for hours, and that was bound to wipe out even the mightiest of heroes.

"Sure. Go get some rest, big guy. Oh! G'night kiss first." Hulk was smiling when he knelt down and lowered his head, and Jo smacked a big kiss on his cheek. She loves Bruce, in every way, but she loved Hulk first.

"Goodnight, Jo." Hulk moved from his kneeling position as Bruce returned, and Jo smiled at her husband. Her _husband_. She was never going to get tired of calling him that. They linked arms as they walked into the house, and they lightly bumped against one another as they walked up the stairs. No words were said as they showered and barely managed to pull on clothes before falling into bed. Their bodies moved into a now familiar position, with Jo sprawled over Bruce and his hands tangled in her loose hair. It was warm and comforting, and Jo felt a little drunk on the combination of sleepiness and Bruce's body under hers.

"Do you ever think about having kids?" The question eased out of her and was something she'd been wondering for a while now. Hulk was so good with kids, and so was Bruce despite the general social awkwardness.

"Not in a very long time. Betty and I discussed it, but we were both very focused on work back then. Do you?" That made sense, and she couldn't imagine Bruce thought about having kids when he was still struggling with Hulk.

"Never thought of myself as Ma material, not with all the fightin' and killin' I've been up to. Maybe, one day," Jo mumbled sleepily. She could tell that Bruce was thinking about the amount of radiation in his body from the gamma bomb and wondering if he could even have kids, but Jo didn't say anything. It didn't matter if they couldn't have their own kids; there were a lot of kids out there that needed homes, and Jo was all for adoption. Still, that was a long way off.

"Goodnight, Jo." It was a sleepy rumble that wrapped around her and made her feel so warm, so tired.

"G'night, darlin'."

**November 1, 2014**

"Where's Hulk?" Bruce squinted down at the small child and tried to think of an answer. The little girl's name was Bonnie, and she stood out with her short brown hair as she was surrounded by her blonde family members. She had her big sister's big blue eyes though, and she was using them to glare up at him right now.

"Hulk's sleeping." It was true, and Bruce heard Jo snorting lightly beside him. Possibly because she could hear Hulk's loud snores.

"When's he gonna wake up?" the little girl asked. Blake, her cousin, was looking up at him expectantly.

"I'll wake him up when we finish cleaning. How's that sound?" Donna and Kim nodded at him approvingly, and Ben and Johnny still looked half asleep.

"Okay," the little girl grumbled. Jo clapped her hands to get everyone's attention and then passed around some trash bags, and the cleanup began. Jo directed the guys to taking down the multitude of decorations, while the women and kids picked up all the plastic cups and candy wrappers.

"How's the marriage going?" Ben asked as they were carrying away giant pumpkins.

"It's going fine," was his simple answer. He liked Ben, they were friends, but he wasn't really sure how to answer.

"They're still in the honeymoon phase, of course it's going fine. Give it a few more months and then ask how it's going," Johnny said with a grin. He was carrying his pumpkin on top of his head with ease and walking backwards to talk to them.

"Shut up, Johnny," Ben growled.

"Oh, come on! Have you tripped over her clothes yet? Or woke up with cookie crumbs imprinted on your ass?" Sometimes Bruce forgot that Jo and Johnny dated for over a year, because they acted like close friends and not exes. There was no awkwardness or bitterness between them, but every once in a while one of them would mention something that would remind him that they were very much together at one time.

"She's getting better with the clothes, and she's not allowed to eat in our bed," Bruce answered easily. Johnny raised a brow and then grinned over at him.

"She really does love you. When I banned her from eating in the bed, she ate a whole pie on my side. You ever rolled over on pie crust?"

"Everyone likes Bruce more than you, idiot," Ben huffed. Johnny pouted at him, tossed his pumpkin at Ben's head, and ran off laughing. Ben sighed as he held onto the second pumpkin, and Bruce tried to hide his smile.

"Do you think he planned that?"

"Anything to get out of doing work. Say, uh, how did you propose?" They were at the giant dumpster now, and Bruce easily tossed his pumpkin inside.

"It was kind of on a whim. She was dancing around the bedroom while she cleaned, and it just hit me. I loved her and wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. We were planning on waiting before getting married, but Jo had different plans after the Abomination fight." They were taking their time walking back around the side of the house, which was completely okay with Bruce.

"Yeah, that sounds like Jo. I think that's why her and Johnny worked together for so long; neither one of them has any kind of impulse control."

"Mmm, why do you ask?" Bruce may not be used to social norms, but it's not hard to tell that Ben wants to talk about something.

"I want to ask Alicia, but I can't think of how to do it. With Debbie, my ex-wife, I did the usual. Took her to a nice restaurant, got down on one knee…the whole shebang. I don't want to do the same thing with Alicia. I want to make it special for her." Bruce wanted to help him, but he didn't know what kind of advice to give him. In all honesty, he was still surprised that he asked Jo to marry him. He didn't regret it, but it wasn't something that he spent time planning either.

"You'll think of something. For me and Jo, it just happened. No planning whatsoever."

"You two really were made for each other," Ben said with a heavy clap to his back. The hit pushed him forward a bit, and he smiled at Ben as he walked over to where Jo was hitting Johnny with a rake. There was something that felt a little…off, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"Bruce! Call her off!" Johnny yelled as he ducked another hit.

"Take it like a man!" Jo yelled. Whatever he was trying to think of disappeared as he smiled and walked over to them.

**.xXx.**

"I still can't believe you're married to Hulk," Kim mumbled around a mouthful of sandwich. Donna sat down at the bar with her own sandwich, and Jo thanked the woman again for making their lunches. The three women were the only ones in the kitchen, because Johnny and Ben were upstairs taking a nap. Hulk and the two little ones were still outside playing.

"No hating on my big guy," Jo said with a smile.

"I'm not hating! Bruce is hot for an old guy that turns green," the nineteen year old teased.

"I think it's wonderful that you two got married, but I want to know why there wasn't a wedding," Donna said with a pointed look.

"Didn't see the point in having one, and I wanted to get married as soon as possible," Jo shrugged. In hindsight, she maybe should have waited just a little bit longer. She was already kicking herself for not telling her sister that they no longer had the same last name, but Andy would forgive her. Andy was awesome like that. Besides, she didn't want to tell her sister that she was married over a text message. That was a conversation that needed to be in person, face-to-face.

"The wife of Hulk," Kim muttered. Jo tossed her napkin at the teenager and took another swig from her water bottle.

"So, who's up for a chick flick?" Two hands shot into the air, and all three women were laughing as Jo escorted them over to the elevator. She couldn't wait to see their faces when they saw the home theater downstairs.

Two chick flicks later, both starring Ryan Gosling, the three women emerged back into the foyer. The house was still surprisingly quiet, and Jo asked JARVIS where the others were. Ben and Johnny were still sleeping, which was unlike the two of them, so they must not have slept much the night before. That was normal for Johnny, but Jo couldn't think of what kept Ben up so late. Donna decided to take the staircase upstairs to wake up the two superheroes, and Kim followed Jo outside. JARVIS said that Hulk was still outside with the kids, and all Jo could worry about was whether or not they'd have to clean again.

"Oh, that is way too adorable for words," Kim whispered. They were standing on the top step and looking out into the yard, where Hulk was laying on his back with two kids stretched sideways on his stomach. Bonnie and Blake were both pointing up at the sky, and Hulk's rumbling voice was quiet. They were looking at the clouds and picking out shapes.

"Best husband ever," Jo breathed. Kim just laughed and went to collect her little sister, who looked half asleep. Donna came out a minute later, with Ben and Johnny trailing behind her. Johnny draped a sleepy Blake over his shoulder, and Ben waved to both of them before walking off. Jo called out a goodbye to the two women and tried not to coo at how cute Johnny looked with a sleeping kid on his shoulder. Maybe there was hope for him after all.

"It looks like a turtle," Hulk said as she stopped beside him. He was still lying in the grass and looking up at the afternoon sky, and Jo tipped her head back to find the cloud he was talking about.

"I like the one that looks like a motorcycle," she said with a gentle smile. Did Bruce ever do this when he was a kid? Just look up at the sky and find things in the clouds? Hulk carefully picked her up and dropped her on his stomach, and Jo easily reclined back against him to look at the fluffy clouds. It was just another day.

**November 6, 2014**

"Who's the cutest kitty in the world? Hmm? Who's the cutest? You are!" Jo cooed as she fed the cat some more pepperoni. She wasn't one hundred percent sure that it was healthy, but Nicky always glared at her when she ate pizza until she passed over a few pepperonis. She had a feeling that was the only reason the cat followed her down to the kitchen for lunch instead of staying in the lab with Bruce. Then again, Bruce was hyper focused on his science today so that cat could've just felt a little ignored.

"What the hell is going on here?!"

"Nicky?" Jo's eyes popped open at the voice, and the cat licked its little hunk of circular meat.

"That's Director Fury to you, Eris." Jo's eyes slowly moved over to the doorway to the kitchen, where Director Fury was standing and glaring at her.

"I was, uh, talkin' to the cat, sir," she mumbled.

"You named your cat Nicky?" The cat turned its head to look at their new admission, made a sound similar to a sneeze, and turned back to its food. After seeing the eye patch, Fury's glare darkened until Jo thought he was going to pull a gun on her. It was a fair assumption, because his hand was gripping the butt of the gun on his hip.

"Just a coincidence, sir," Jo said quickly. There was a vein throbbing over Fury's covered eye, and Jo suddenly noticed that his other eye was a little swollen. There was also a cut on his lip.

"Eris—"

"Holy shit, you've been in a fight! Someone actually had the balls to hit you? Sir?"

"Tell me how that's any of your goddamned business." Well, at least he wasn't glaring at the poor little defenseless kitty anymore.

"Right, sorry, sir. What can I do for you today?" Fury crossed his arms, so that he wasn't actually touching his gun, and Jo felt her tense muscles relax just the tiniest bit. Getting shot won't kill her, true, but it'll still hurt like hell.

"Intelligence tells us that Kingpin will be attending an event here in the city to meet with some old friends, and we have arranged entertainment for the party. You remember Kingpin?"

"Pretty damn strong for a human, right? Huge crime boss and your everyday asshole," Jo shrugged.

"Every day assholes don't rip people's arms off with a handshake."

"Good point. What's the game plan?"

"Ballroom dancing, and I have it on good authority that you're decent at it." Jo had a feeling that Fury was grinning at her, somewhere deep down inside, but his face stayed passive.

"Only with the right partner, sir."

"Probably why they called me in." Jo's first reaction was shock, then joy, and she was squealing when she launched herself at the newcomer. She loves Bruce, enjoys spending time with Johnny and Ben, and is finding a friend in Donna…but there's nothing like seeing an old friend after a little absence. So what if it's only been a few months? She's been pretty cut off from everyone, and they're all out fighting a bunch of baddies.

"Clint! I've missed your feathery ass!" Jo yelled right into his ear. The arms around her waist tightened as warm breath puffed against her neck, and Jo sagged against her favorite dancing partner.

"Outfits will be delivered in the morning, and the event is scheduled for tomorrow night at eight. A car will pick you up. When you get there, you will entertain the guests and then isolate the target. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" they yelled together. Jo pulled away long enough to see Fury give one last glare to the cat before striding off, and she backed away from Clint just a little. Her arms were still wrapped around his neck, his fingers were digging into her hips, and they weren't moving away. Clint looked the same, for the most part. His skin was a little bit tanner and his hair looked a touch more blonde, which meant he was spending a lot of time out in the sunshine. The strong hands at her waist were the same though, along with the hazel eyes smiling at her.

"Fuck, it's good to see you, Clint." It was like seeing him made her realize just how isolated they all were, and Clint seemed to be thinking the same thing going by the bruising grip on her hips.

"You too, Josie. Getting called in to do an undercover dance was like being told to go on vacation. I almost thanked Fury, 'til I saw the shiner." They were having a normal conversation, but their stomachs brushed whenever they took a breath.

"Yeah, what is up with that? I thought Fury was conductin' all of us, not gettin' his hands dirty like a common field agent. And who has the balls to hit Fury anyway? Do you think he's still alive?" Jo rattled off. Her mind was spinning all kinds of theories, but she doesn't have a genius level intellect.

"Hill slapped him once." Clint's grin was so wide that his eyes crinkled, and Jo's mouth popped open.

"You're shittin' me!"

"I am not shittin' you! She did! Open palm, turned his head, the whole nine yards." Jo snorted as she dropped her head to her bicep and pushed some of her hair away. Why was her hair down? Oh, right, she stopped putting it up because Bruce enjoyed braiding it. But he was already in the lab when she woke up this morning.

"What'd Fury do?" Jo knew that Fury liked Hill, she was his own personal agent (used to be right under Phil, until…just until), so she couldn't picture what could have happened.

"He promoted her." Jo's laugh echoed in the kitchen, and Clint's own rough laugh joined in. When Bruce wandered in, with his hair sticking straight up and a lab coat over a faded gray tee shirt and dark blue Hulk shorts, Jo and Clint were propped up against each other on the floor and still laughing.

"Oh, Clint, uh, hi. What brings you here?" Jo wiped away her tears with the heel of her hand and smiled up at Bruce. She loved it when he got all shy and awkward; it probably shouldn't be so adorable, but whatever. It was Bruce, and it was as simple as that.

"Top secret mission," Clint said in a deep and gravelly voice.

"We're going undercover as ballroom dancers to get Kingpin. Fury apparently knows that we dance well together," Jo explained a bit better.

"We did win the dance-off at the last company picnic," Clint said and dropped his head onto her shoulder. Jo rested her head against his and smiled.

"Hill and Sitwell almost had us though," Jo reminded.

"As if," Clint huffed.

"Undercover ballroom dancers?" Bruce looked confused, which was understandable, because most people don't go undercover as ballroom dancers.

"For an event that Kingpin's attending," Jo said.

"And we're the best dancers on short notice. Last I heard, Hill's over in Germany," Clint mumbled. He sounded a little tired; must have had a long night and then came straight over first thing.

"Lucky her. Where have you been hiding?" She could hear Bruce rummaging around in the fridge, probably looking for something that could pass as lunch. Right, she normally brings him a sandwich around this time, but she got distracted.

"Mmm, Los Angeles. It's bright, it's warm, and it's crawling with assholes just itching to get locked back up." It sounded like Clint was smiling, but Jo didn't feel like moving to see.

"That explains the tan. Doesn't Clint look all toasty?" Jo raised her voice on the second question, and she heard Bruce hum quietly in reply.

"Don't be jealous of my sunkissed complexion. Now, I'm going up to take a nap in my kickass room. Practice tonight?"

"Yeah. We can't be rusty tomorrow. Go get some rest." Jo nudged Clint as she finished talking, and they pretty much climbed up each other to get to their feet. Jo watched Clint saunter away and then spun around to smile across the kitchen at Bruce. He was eating cold pizza and feeding his nearly frozen pepperonis to Nicky.

"So, Kingpin?" Bruce wasn't smiling, and Jo slowly crossed her arms. It was normally something she did when intimidating someone else, but at the moment it felt like she was trying not to hug herself. Bruce wasn't giving her any look in particular; his face was blank, and his eyes were calm.

"He's human, but that doesn't make him any less dangerous," Jo shrugged. She's heard stories about the big human and his above average strength, but she's not too worried. What kind of a tank would she be if she let a few rumors psyche her out?

"Will you and Clint be okay?" There were lines between Bruce's eyebrows, and Jo's fingers twitched against the tense line of her bicep. Like she wanted to smooth them away.

"Yeah, we'll have a backup team and everything, so no worries." Jo tried to force a real smile, but that's not exactly something that's easy to do. Natasha always did say she'd make a shit agent because her acting skills were so fucking atrocious; it was all said with a smile that could charm the pants off anyone. It was one of the things in life that severely scared her.

"So, does SHIELD really have company picnics?" Bruce's smile was small, just a gentle curving of his lips, but it was real. Jo spun around in circles until she reached Bruce's side, and she tossed her arms around his shoulders as she pressed the length of her body against him.

"Come on, I'll tell ya all about 'em while you do your science," Jo prodded gently. She knew Bruce had a lot on his mind, and she could tell from the way he rubbed his hands together that he was itching to get back upstairs. Back to his rooftop lab. Bruce smiled and wrapped an arm around her waist, and they leaned on each other all the way to the elevator.

**.xXx.**

"You're not serious." Jo looked away from the steaks she was grilling (thank God for Tony's mini-grills) to smile at Bruce. He was leaning against the counter and listening to her tell the stories that were background noise earlier as he worked. Jo didn't mind; she knew that Bruce drew some kind of comfort from the sound of her voice while he was working, even if he didn't always listen to the particular words. It was why she'd taken to reading her romance novels out loud.

"I am very serious. You haven't seen the agents in a tizzy until the sack race. Someone pulls out a gun every damned year," Jo said with a very dramatic eye-roll. That was the agents for you though. Pulling guns whenever they didn't get their way. It certainly kept things interesting.

"Why did you go? I thought you weren't a SHIELD agent." Jo reached over to brush an errant curl off Bruce's forehead and then laughed aloud when it flopped right back into place.

"Natasha beat me in a poker game, so she made me go in her place as payment. It's what I get for playin' against the Queen of Pokerfaces." Jo shrugged as she checked on the steaks and then smiled over at Bruce. Since the steaks were doing just fine for the moment, Jo leaned to the side and lightly brushed her lips against Bruce's. She felt his smile as he caught her bottom lip and nipped at it, and her bare toes curled as heat flooded her cheeks.

"Oh, shit, sorry! I didn't mean to interrupt anything." Jo laughed quietly as she pulled away from Bruce and looked over her shoulder.

"You're just in time actually. We're having steak and curly fries tonight," she grinned. Bruce was a solid warmth against her side, and Clint smiled over at them.

"Awesome! Because I'm starving. I'll set the table," Clint said and moved over to where the plates were kept.

"We've just been eating in here; it's so much easier, especially since it's normally just the two of us." Clint nodded and placed the small stack of plates in the center of the bar. Ten minutes later, they were all at the bar with their plates and drinks.

"How long have you two been shacked up?" Clint asked between bites.

"Three months. Managed to charm any LA ladies?" Jo smirked. She waited for Clint to smirk right back, like he usually did during these conversations, but the smile he gave was shy instead.

"There is this one girl, and I think it's getting a little serious." Clint? In a healthy and serious relationship? That was nearly as crazy as Jo being in a healthy and serious relationship.

"Is that a good idea? I mean, does she know about all this?" Clint nodded as he chewed, and Jo waited patiently for him to swallow his food. Why couldn't he talk with his mouth full like a normal person?

"She's kinda like you, not a SHIELD agent but still helps out. She's…amazing." Clint's eyes were so bright and his smile came so easily; it was a look she'd never really seen on his face, except for a few times with Natasha. She felt Bruce squeeze her knee and turned to look at him, and she wondered if her eyes did the same thing as Clint's.

"Can't wait to meet her, because you are definitely bringing her for a meet and greet when this is all over. Oh, and I wanna be in the room when she meets Nat." Clint groaned and rolled his eyes, and Bruce chuckled quietly beside her. Jo, Clint, and Bruce swapped bad guy stories while they finished up their meal which didn't take long to end.

"Clint? Do you mind if I take another blood sample before you two get started?" Bruce asked as Jo collected the dirty plates.

"Sure, no problem, Doc. I gotta tell you though, it hasn't really worn off much. I keep waiting for it to go away, but I'm still almost at Tank-level," Clint said with a wink. Jo flipped him off and started washing off the dishes.

"You wish, Tweety. Now let Bruce take a little blood, and I'll meet you in the foyer." Clint saluted, and Jo watched as the two of them took off. Washing their plates didn't take long, and Jo rushed upstairs to put her hair up and slap on a short pair of heels. She and Clint made it to the foyer at about the same time, and Jo smiled across the space at her favorite dancer.

"Ready to get started?" Clint asked.

"Waltz, right?"

"JARVIS, classical thirty-two." Jo rolled her shoulders to lose some of the tension and locked eyes with Clint.

"Wonderful selection, sir."

**.xXx.**

The room was fuzzy when Bruce finally took a look around, and his back twinged a little bit as he stood up. Nicky's head slowly raised, and he left his fluffy bed to push his flat face against Bruce's ankle. The lab was so quiet with just the two of them, and JARVIS told him that Jo and Clint were still downstairs. The foyer was the biggest practice space, even though Tony claimed to have caught them dancing on the library table once. Bruce scooped up Nicky and ran a finger between his ears, and the cat rubbed up against his hand as he took the elevator to the second floor. He dropped off Nicky in his room and then headed off towards the stairs. The Grand Staircase curved, so Bruce didn't see them until he was halfway down. Neither dancer noticed him, so he eased himself down to watch.

Right now, they were standing in the center of the foyer and just staring at each other. Jo's hair was twisted up on top of her head, because he forgot to braid her hair that morning. She was still dressed in the same dark green shorty shorts and dark purple tank top from that afternoon, and she was wearing a pair of short black heels. Clint must have changed into the decent black slacks and shiny black shoes before joining Jo, and he was wearing a simple black sleeveless undershirt. They were both drenched in sweat, but they looked almost peaceful. At ease. Bruce thought back to several months ago, to a conversation he had with Tony. Or, well, that Tony had at him.

"_You should've seen them; it was like my living room was their own personal cloud, and they were dancing angels. I've seen them dance like idiots, but that? That was…_real."

Over the past few months, Bruce has seen Jo dance. She sways while she cooks, she twirls while she cleans, she shimmies while she talks…she's either completely relaxed or moving to a beat. Bruce isn't a dancer, but he knows how much the simple and sometimes silly movements mean to Jo. They remind her of her mother; it's a connection. Still, he can't imagine anything like what Tony described. Clint is graceful in a fight, but Bruce can't picture him dancing. Just like he can't picture Jo gliding like Tony said. Suddenly, the two dancers smiled and straightened their posture.

"Alright, JARVIS, let's hear thirty-two one last time," Clint husked out. Jo raised her arms in a classic waltz position, and Clint fluidly moved into place as the music started. Eyes locked, posture straight, they started.

"_A waltz when she walks in the room. She pulls back the hair from her face. She turns to the window to sway in the moonlight. Even her shadow has grace."_

They were absolutely beautiful together. Their legs could entwine perfectly without knocking the other off balance, which Bruce now regretfully admitted that he'd been expecting, and their grips looked light and easy while still giving support. The most amazing thing was the eye contact. Bruce has seen a few waltzes between professionals, and it looked just like that. Professional. Perfunctory. Without any passion, like a true dance should have. Jo and Clint did not have that problem. They kept eye contact, their smiles were shy but came easily, and they were constantly touching. When they weren't, they were reaching for each other. Like they couldn't bear to let go.

"_So she dances. In and out of the crowd. Like a glance. This romance is, from afar, calling me silently. I can't keep on watching forever, and I'm giving up this view just to tell her…"_

Jo gracefully raised her leg as she tipped to the side, and Clint's palm smoothed down her calf before gripping her ankle. His other hand gripped the inside of her inner thigh and raised her into the air effortlessly, and Jo's eyes closed in complete trust as he tipped her back and cupped her head. Her other foot was now braced on his shoulder as he dipped her, and their eyes were locked as they smiled at one another. It was, possibly, one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen. There was something else Tony said that day; something else about the way they looked while they danced around his living room to Elvis.

"_Dancing is always beautiful, so that's the obvious descriptor, but it was more than that. It was innocent."_

Yes, innocent. The way their bodies moved could have been called sensual, but it somehow wasn't. There was an obvious love in the dance, between the two of them and for what they were doing, and it didn't lack in passion. Despite all of that, it was still so heartbreakingly innocent and sweet. Just this morning, if asked, Bruce wouldn't have believed that his wife could dance quite like that. Or the archer, for that matter. Bruce startled when he realized the dancers were staring up at him, with big grins on their faces and leaning on each other for support.

"What do you think, Doc? Can we fool them all?" Clint asked.

"I'm starting to question why you don't dance professionally," Bruce answered with a gentle smile. Jo beamed up at him, and Clint looked a little smug.

"Because the lack of violence would take its toll. We're useless if we can't beat people up every once in a while," Jo replied.

"Or shoot them." Jo nodded her agreement and scrubbed a hand through Clint's short hair so it would stick up.

"Alright, Clint, I think it's past our bedtime. We'll pick this up again tomorrow afternoon before our opening night." Clint responded by pulling on her hair, causing most of it to fall down, and then running off with an echoing laugh. Bruce watched him run past his spot on the stairs and when he looked back, Jo was standing in front of him.

"You two are amazing," Bruce breathed. Up close he could see the layer of sweat on her tense muscles and the red marks on her arms and thighs where Clint gripped her.

"Comes from a lot of practice. Dancing was the only thing that kept us sane for a little while. Practicin' is still a bitch though. Whattaya say about gettin' a shower with me and then havin' a nice long cuddle?" Bruce could see the dimple in her left cheek and the tangles in her hair, and he couldn't remember ever seeing her look more beautiful.

"Best plan I've ever heard of." Jo's arms wrapped around his shoulders as she fell down against him, and Bruce locked his arms around her waist as he stood up. Long legs moved around his hips to cross against his back, and Jo nuzzled against the side of his head.

"Perfect ending to every day of forever," she mumbled sleepily. If he was lucky, she wouldn't fall asleep in the shower. It didn't really matter if she did though, because if she did, he'd be there.

**November 7, 2014**

"Director Fury has requested your presence in the foyer." Jo groaned at the sound of JARVIS's voice and flopped over onto her back. Bruce blindly reached down to pat her shoulder and got her collarbone instead, and Jo reached up to grab his hand.

"Be right there," Jo slurred out. Fuck, but she was still sleepy. With a little prodding from Bruce, she managed to wiggle out of bed and pulled on Bruce's shirt. She was at least wearing panties, and she'd be damned if she put on pants before noon. Not unless there was an emergency, and Fury doesn't count as an emergency unless he's barking orders in her ear.

"You shouldn't keep him waiting," Bruce mumbled from his spot on the bed. Jo longed to crawl back into bed and stretch herself out over him, but duty calls.

"Director Fury has asked for both of you, Doctor Banner."

"Ha! You heard JARVIS, let's get a move on," Jo said and poked his side. Her eyes tracked the movement of his tensing stomach muscles, and she had to fight back the urge to nibble at his hipbones. Maybe later. Bruce was wearing a pair of Hulk shorts, so Jo tugged him out of the room and towards the staircase.

"What the hell is that thing?" Jo heard Clint ask. The archer was already standing in the foyer across from Fury, but his body was blocking most of the director's body. Jo stopped at Clint's side and had to bury her face against Bruce's shoulder to keep from laughing.

"You ain't never seen a cat, Agent Barton?" Fury growled.

"Did someone make it just for you?"

"Nicky is a rescue," Bruce explained, because Jo was still laughing silently. No one could have prepared her for the sight of Fury holding Nicky and petting his patchy fur.

"You _named_ it?"

"Hey! Nicky is a beloved pet!" Jo snapped out. Then immediately started laughing again, because Fury was still holding the cat and Clint looked so confused.

"Enough about the damned cat! We got business to discuss." Jo and Clint immediately straightened and locked their eyes on Fury, and Bruce tried to figure out why his presence was requested.

"What do you have for us, sir?" Jo asked.

"Everything has been all set up. You got the email about three main dances?" Fury was looking at both of them, and this time it was Clint that answered.

"Waltz, foxtrot, tango. We've got that part covered, sir."

"There will be a break between each dance, to change. Tango is last because it will have the outfits with the best movability. After you are done, you will mingle with the crowd and dance with whoever the fuck approaches you. Dance together if you can and keep an eye on Kingpin. If he doesn't leave on his own, find a way to isolate him. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

"We can't have a whole team inside, too suspicious, and we can't have any noticeable faces. Doctor Banner, you will be escorting Agent Roslyn Bug to tonight's show. You will assist and provide backup only if needed. I know all about your little marriage, so can you two keep it together tonight? I need a clean operation, but if you two are compromised…" Director Fury was glaring at them pretty hard, and Jo reached down to squeeze Bruce's hand.

"We can control ourselves," Bruce answered. Jo smiled over at her husband and did a little happy dance inside her mind. She loved it when Bruce got all tough.

"Married?!" Jo blinked over at Clint and shrugged.

"We'll be fine, sir." Fury glared at Jo one last time before looking down at the cat in his arms.

"Clothes will be dropped off for all three of you this afternoon. Try them on and make sure no adjustments are needed. Agent Bug will be here at seven-thirty." Director Fury gave Nicky one last scratch, sat the cat down, and walked out the front door. It wasn't Jo's weirdest morning ever, but it was pretty high up the list.

"Think we should do another practice run?" she finally asked Clint. The silence was starting to get a little eerie.

"Wouldn't hurt," Clint shrugged.

"I'm going up to the lab." Jo tangled her fingers in his curls and pulled him down for a kiss before letting him walk off, and she was still smiling when she looked over at Clint.

"Change and meet back here?"

**.xXx.**

"You really married him?" Jo was bent over with her hands on her knees and sucking in deep breaths, and she craned her neck to take a look at her favorite dancing partner. He was in pretty much the same position, and their eyes locked.

"Come on, I think we've earned a water break." Jo turned on her heel and clicked her way towards the kitchen, and she heard Clint's fancy shoes squeaking behind her. She tossed him a water bottle once they were in the kitchen, and she sat down on one side of the bar. Clint sat across from her, and they spent the next minute taking greedy gulps and just staring at one another.

"Are you ever going to answer me?" Clint asked. Jo took another sip and swiped the back of her hand across her mouth.

"It all happened kinda fast. We were the only ones here, and we spent every minute together almost. I couldn't get him outta my head, and he…he's not like anyone else I've ever been with. Falling for him was so fuckin' easy; easier than breathin'. We were already living together, and everything just kinda fell into place. I think, if we were just everyday civilians, we would've moved much slower. But we're not normal, and there's a fight at least once a week. Sometimes there's just some bruises and some broken bones, and sometimes it's a close call. You know how that is," Jo rushed out.

"Yeah, I do." Clint looked so serious, and Jo's fingers were twitching against the grip she had on her water bottle.

"Any fight could be our last, or my last. I'm starting to think that Hulk really is indestructible, but I'm not. I didn't want to die without making him my _everything_." Jo and Bruce discussed the marriage and the reasons behind it, but Jo never voiced this reason to him. She couldn't. They talked about the possibility of either one of them getting killed in a fight, but Jo wasn't completely stupid. She'd be the one to die, and she was going to make sure that she really lived before her time came.

"I think I can understand that," Clint said and lightly touched her hand. Jo released her mangled bottle to grip his hand, because he really could understand. Jo wasn't going to dig into his thoughts, because that's just rude, but she felt how much he agreed with her. How much he believed that she'd done the right thing.

"So, I'm officially Josephine Banner. Any other questions?" she asked with a bright smile.

"Yeah, does your cat ever disappear? Because Terra keeps disappearing on me," Clint said with a toothy grin of his own.

"Nope, Nicky is always close to one of us. Maybe your chicken just doesn't like you," Jo teased. Clint used his hold on her hand to pull her over the counter and ruffle her hair, and Jo squawked before launching herself at the archer and sending them crashing to the floor.

**.xXx.**

"Have I ever told you just how delicious you look in a tux? Like, I'm seriously thinking about having my dirty way with you, right now." Jo's normally rough voice was even huskier than usual, and Bruce caught her glance in the mirror.

"If I can restrain myself, then so can you," he answered as he kept working on his bowtie.

"But you didn't restrain yourself. You saw me in the tango dress and decided it was time for a quickie. That's not restraint, Doc." Jo's grin was positively dirty, and Bruce felt heat creeping up his neck and into his cheeks. They're married and had a three-day honeymoon where they didn't put on clothes; he should not still be blushing whenever his wife gives him bedroom eyes.

"That was this afternoon, and your waltz dress is just as tempting." Bruce turned to face her now, and Jo smiled as she smoothed her hands across his shoulders and down his chest. The light blue and white dress she was wearing was beautiful and molded to the top of her body, and Bruce really was tempted to run his hand up the slit of the skirt.

"Note to self, we will have tuxedo sex in the very near future," Jo said and pushed her grin against his lips. Bruce carefully ran a hand down her exposed back and felt Jo's sigh against his tongue.

"I miss the tattoos," he whispered. The woman who dropped off their outfits also took the time to cover Jo's multitude of tattoos, and Bruce missed the dark contrast and splashes of bright color against her left arm. He also knew just how her spine tattoo looked in a backless dress, and he missed the sight now. Even her foot tattoo was gone. The only one that remained was the _**B**_ on her left ring finger, because Jo said there was no way that was getting that covered up.

"You two lovebirds ready to go?" Jo pulled away from him and looped her arm through his.

"Ready to go dance for an adoring audience? Duh!" Clint offered his arm as they reached him, and Jo hooked her free arm through his with a bright smile. Together the three of them walked down to the foyer, where Agent Bug was waiting in a gorgeous dark blue dress that perfectly complemented her dark skin.

"Ready?" She might look like a regular high-society lady, but that voice was still all agent.

"As we'll ever be," Jo grinned.

The car ride didn't take long, and Jo and Clint were dropped off first at a back entrance. No one could see them entering, because they would be making their appearance with a dance. Bruce and Agent Bug, or Roslyn for tonight, were dropped off at the front of the building. Their door was opened for them, and Roslyn's arm easily looped through his as they were escorted inside. Bruce vaguely recognized a few faces from the television and magazines, so this was a very big event indeed. They made their way around the room, rubbing elbows with New York's finest, before finding an empty table. Roslyn accepted two glasses of champagne for them as everyone else started moving to find a table of their own. Some of the tables were for couples, like the one they were at, and others were for larger parties.

"There he is," Roslyn whispered into his ear. To an outsider, they probably looked like any other couple whispering sweet nothings to one another. Bruce let his eyes flick around the room and easily found tonight's target. The man was abnormally large for a human, but Jo assured him that he was just that. He was surrounded by at least nine other people at one of the biggest tables in the room.

"Not very good at blending in, is he?" Bruce whispered back with a light smile.

"With everyone that's escaped and how scattered all our agents are, why should he? No one expects to see him here, out in plain sight." Roslyn's dark eyes were twinkling, and Bruce thought he could understand why she was a SHIELD agent. It was the same look that Jo got when she rushed out for a fight; it was a strong mixture of anger, adrenaline, and joy.

"He doesn't seem to be all that smart." Roslyn's full lips curled in a smile as she raised one shoulder in a shrug. Music began to play, and Bruce's eyes were locked on the large empty space of the dance floor. He recognized the song from last night; it was their waltz song.

"Let's see if your wifey and Barton are as good as everyone thinks," Roslyn whispered against his shoulder. Bruce just smiled and didn't say anything as the lights dimmed.

"_A waltz when she walks in the room." _Jo danced into existence under a pale spotlight, alone. Her arms were held out as if she was dancing with an invisible partner.

"I thought a waltz needed two people?" Roslyn whispered. Bruce just shrugged. He wasn't sure what they had planned, but he was sure that it was going to be amazing. His eyes didn't move from Jo as she danced in the singular beam of light.

"_A waltz for the girl out of reach."_ She dipped herself back and reached her hands out towards a couple near the center of the dance floor, and Bruce caught a glance of the couples' smiles before the light moved after Jo. She continued to dance alone to the next few lines, all graceful limbs and closed eyes.

"_The melody's making her __**cry**_." The lights went out on the last word and plunged the entire room into darkness, but it didn't stay off for long. As the next line began, the room filled with soft light and Clint had Jo in his arms.

"_So she dances, in and out of the crowd, like a glance. This romance is, from afar, calling me silently."_ They danced between tables and around the amused guests, and Roslyn brushed her cheek against his shoulder.

"Oh, they are good. See? They're getting closer to Kingpin and still impressing everyone else," she whispered.

The two dancers moved back to the center of the dance floor as the song got closer to the end, so that they could perform a few of the more risqué movies. Cheeks brushed and hands gripped as Jo was twirled around in midair, and Bruce heard the woman at the table next to them sigh dreamily as the dance came to an end. Jo and Clint laced fingers as they took a small bow and danced into the darkness, and the pair were gone when the lights were raised completely. He could get used to seeing them dance like that, so beautifully and carefree. Apparently their minds were still on the mission though.

"Do they live up to the rumors?" Bruce asked quietly.

"Surprisingly, yes. I've never worked with either of them, but their reputations precede them. Violent, impulsive, and magnets for danger. I guess this is a classic case of don't judge a book by its cover?" Bruce briefly met the agent's eyes before moving back to the dance floor. She looked a little chagrined, and Bruce leaned back in his seat so he could look at her.

"I had problems picturing it until I saw them dance for the first time too," Bruce easily admitted. What was the point in lying? A waiter served them something very small and very expensive before the lights changed again, and Bruce took another sip of champagne as the next song started.

"_Never know how much I love you. Never know how much I care."_ Jo was wearing a dark red dress now, with no sleeves and a slightly tighter skirt than the waltz dress. Clint changed from the formal tux to an all-black suit, minus the jacket, and a waistcoat that matched Jo's dress.

"_When you put your arms around me, I get a fever that's so hard to bear."_ Clint's arms closed around her from behind, and Bruce saw couples all around them gently holding hands and smiling at one another. He also saw how some of the men, like the ones at Kingpin's table, eyed the way the move caused Jo's breasts to push against the top of her dress. Hulk moved a little restlessly but was still under control, because he understood that Jo was with them. Jo was _**theirs**_.

This dance took place mostly on the actual dance floor, but they still managed to move into the crowded tables. The people smiled up at them, and Bruce thought a woman was actually going to faint when Clint ran a hand up her bare arm as he stared across her table at Jo. Jo just danced away from him and…over to Kingpin's table. She propped her hand on one of the men's shoulder as her leg came up to rest across another man's shoulders, and she mouthed the next line at Clint as her body bent in a graceful arch.

"_Fever, I'm his misses. Daddy, won't you treat him right?" _Clint easily caught her ankle and spun her away from the cheering table, and they foxtrotted their way back to the center of the dance floor.

"Not bad. They must've noticed the looks from Kingpin's table and decided to play it up. Did you see them talking?" Bruce shook his head, mostly to quiet Hulk down, and looked over at Roslyn.

"Jo said something once about how they don't need to talk when they dance. They just know."

"I thought you had brown eyes." It wasn't a question; it sounded more like a warning.

"We're fine," he whispered. Hulk didn't mind seeing Jo dance with Clint, because the big green guy realized that Clint was a friend and could be trusted. He really didn't like seeing unnamed men staring at Jo as if they could devour her though.

"During the Abomination fight, she never looked away from you. Even when she was looking at me, she could still see you. She flinched every time Hulk got hit and had her arms wrapped so tight around herself that it looked like she was trying to keep herself from falling apart. She loves Hulk too, doesn't she?" The look in Roslyn's eyes wasn't judgmental or disgusted, like he would expect someone's to be when discussing people who loved Hulk. She simply looked curious.

"Jo loved him first actually," he replied quietly. The look turned from curious to awed, and Bruce turned away from the woman's gaze. It was good timing too, because the lights dimmed subtly as Jo and Clint emerged once again. They stood on opposite sides of the dance floor, and Bruce couldn't stop his smile at the sight of Jo's tango dress. It was black, it was soft and hugged all her curves, and the nearly indecently short skirt showcased her long legs. Clint was stripped down to just a black button-up shirt, with the top two buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up.

Jo's shoulders rolled as she moved towards the center of the room, and Clint strode forward with purpose. Their bodies met as the music started, and Bruce couldn't look away to see everyone's reactions. This time they stayed on the dance floor and danced around one another as if no one else existed; it was sensual and passionate. Each lift was effortless and smooth, their hips pressed snugly together before Jo easily climbed up his body and wrapped those long legs around his neck. Her body twisted easily so that her hands touched the ground, and Clint's sure hands gripped her waist as he spun her back to her feet.

"Is it just me or is it getting a little hotter in here?" Roslyn whispered. Bruce could see her smile out of the corner of his eye, and he took a quick look around to see everyone else staring at the center of the room. The dance ended with Jo's knee hooked over Clint's elbow and their noses brushing, and the sound of the applause was almost deafening. Jo and Clint took their bow and then smiled at everyone.

"Now we would like to ask you to join us in a dance." There was no trace of Jo's usual drawl; there was no accent whatsoever. The beautifully dressed socialites quickly moved to their feet to join the two dancers, and Bruce lost sight of Jo and Clint as music started up again.

"Do we dance or sit?" he asked the agent at his side.

"We can't let those two have all the fun. May I have this dance?" Roslyn asked with a wide grin. Bruce slid his hand into hers and led the way to the now crowded dance floor.

**.xXx.**

"If I have to stop one more asshole from grabbing my ass, it's gonna get violent," Jo whispered into Clint's ear. She felt his laugh against her neck as he pulled her thigh over his hip, and her eyes kept up a constant scan of the room.

"At least it's just your ass they're grabbing. You don't even know where all those manicured hands keep wandering," Clint whispered back.

"I have a good idea. How's Kingpin?"

"Still sitting on his ass," Clint muttered as he spun them around. Bruce and Roslyn were at the side of the dance floor and sipping at champagne, and Jo and Clint had a silent conversation with just their eyes. Any moment now, and everyone's comms were officially on.

"He's on the move." Roslyn's voice was like a quiet whisper in her ear; maybe she should ask Fury to let Roslyn take over all commands from now on. A whisper was so much better than an eardrum-damaging scream.

"I'll go first." Clint spun Jo away from him, and she easily melted into the crowd and moved away from the dancers. Her heels were silent as she kept to the shadows and moved behind Kingpin. He was alone and moving farther away from everyone, and Jo felt something pulling at her insides. Something wasn't right, but she couldn't figure out what. She couldn't pick up anything from Kingpin's thoughts; they were all too hazy. She followed him up some stairs and stopped at the cracked doorway of the room he went inside.

"Don't be shy, beautiful dancer, come in." Oh, this was so not good, but Jo never could resist a taunt. She opened the door enough to slip inside and met the target's eyes head on.

"I was hoping you could join me in a dance," she said. It was hard not using her own speaking voice; she hated wiping out all traces of where she was from and instead speaking just a touch faster and with precision. She also had to speak lighter to try and get rid of the gravel in her normal tone. She always slipped up eventually. It was just another example of why she made such a shit undercover agent.

"I would be honored." Large hands reached down to grip her hips and then tossed her across the room. Smoke filled her vision as her back crashed against a wall, and she landed on her heels as she fell. There was an empty canister on the ground, and the smoke in the room felt like it was burning her lungs. Kingpin was wearing a mask over his nose and mouth, so it must only be harmful to breathe in. Still, the look in his eyes said he was grinning.

"That the best you got?" Jo growled.

"I knew you two were agents as soon as you stepped onto the floor. That chemical will have you dead in another minute." Oh yeah, he was definitely grinning like a jackass.

"A normal agent might have problems breathin' in here, but I'm not an agent." Jo watched the man's eyes widen as she charged at him, and she sunk her fist into his meaty neck. She knew she couldn't slow down, so she kept the hits coming even as it felt like her lungs and throat were being set on fire. After a particularly nasty hit to his sternum, she ripped off his mask. He looked panicked as he was exposed to the smoke, so it really must be something dangerous. He tried to make a run for the door, but Jo delivered a kick to the back of his knee that made his leg collapse.

"We'll die!" he yelled as she tightened her arms around his throat. His elbow broke three of her ribs with a hit to her midsection, and she kicked hard at the base of his spine. The door flew open, and Clint was the first one to charge inside. He was wearing a mask, so they did get her message, and he immediately fired three shots at Kingpin's chest. He dropped like a sack of potatoes, and Jo gingerly stepped over him.

"The building has been evacuated, and we have a team on the way to clear out the chemical. You men, get him out of here," Roslyn conducted. A team of men cuffed the unconscious target and heaved him out of the room, and Jo let Clint escort her from the room. When they reached the ground floor again, where Bruce was waiting, Jo was coughing blood into her hand.

"Are you okay?" Bruce's hands worriedly ran over her shaking arms, and she felt Clint move away from her.

"Yeah, my lungs just got a little seared. Whatever that shit was, it's powerful." Jo's voice sounded wet and somehow meaty, and she hocked up another glob of blood into her hand.

"Eris! You were told to not engage the target until Agent Barton was able to join you!" Jo blinked over at Fury, who was now standing next to a semi-concerned looking Roslyn.

"Kingpin knew I was there, sir, and it all worked out in the end. We got the bastard, didn't we?" Bruce wiped away a spot of blood at the corner of her lips with his cuff, and Jo stared at the bright red color against the once pristine white.

"You could have been seriously injured. Hell, you might be!"

"Just a little blood, sir. I'll be fine once my lungs heal." Clint smiled at her and shook his head, and Roslyn looked a little relieved. Fury looked just as annoyed as ever.

"Get out of here, all of you. Barton, you are to return first thing in the morning."

"Yes, sir!" Jo linked her arms through Bruce's and Clint's, and she dropped her head to Bruce's shoulder as they left.

"You two were amazing tonight. Everyone thought so," Bruce said quietly. Jo hummed because her lungs were still a bit charred.

"It's all about playing it up for the crowd," Clint replied. Jo hummed again and nuzzled her husband's shoulder. As far as she was concerned, tonight was a huge success and she was due for a very big celebratory nap.

* * *

**Finis: **Really long but still worth it, right? Also, Clint made an appearance! Fury has finally met Nicky, and I've dropped little hints for future chapters. I'll keep this short though, since the chapter was so long. Kingpin is a Marvel villain, so feel free to Google him. I recommend listening to these as you read, because they really do help it all come together. Here's the song list!

Waltz: Josh Groban-So She Dances

Foxtrot: Peggy Lee-Fever

Tango: Veronica Verdier-Asi se Baila el Tango

_**xXImperfectionXx7:**_ Thank you for the review! I've just been rolling in fluff for this story.

_**Shiningheart of ThunderClan:**_ Thank you for the review! They definitely moved fast, but there's always a reason for everything. I hope you enjoyed the update!

_**Shika93: **_Thank you for the review! I had so much fun writing the married chapter, so I'm glad you liked it!


	16. Beast: Part Eight

**TIB: **This one is shorter than the usual, but the last one was really long so it seems fair. Also, classes have started again so it might take a little longer to update. Replies to reviews at the end.

* * *

"_It's called planned parenthood, Miss Goody Two Shoes! It means, I'm plannin' on not bein' a parent!"  
__**Jo, age 19**_

**.xXx.**

**Chapter Sixteen  
****You Be The Beast  
****Part Eight**

* * *

**November 8, 2014**

"Wake up, Josie!" Jo absently swatted at the finger poking her forehead and pressed harder against her pillow.

"Go 'way," she mumbled sleepily.

"Dammit, Jo! Wake up!" Her eyes blinked open, and Clint slowly came into focus. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, fully dressed, and smiling down at her. Jo was currently spread out across Bruce, so she carefully eased off him and sat up. Bruce immediately curled up beside her, with his knees tucked against his stomach and his forehead pressed tight against her thigh.

"Headin' out?" Jo rumbled as she ran her fingers through Bruce's sleep tousled hair.

"Yeah, I gotta get back to the West Coast, but I didn't wanna go without saying bye," he shrugged.

"Good, because I'd hate havin' to hunt ya down and then hurt ya in front of your lady." It was said with a wide grin and a poke to his chest, and Clint quickly moved to catch her hand. It was her left hand, because her right was buried in Bruce's hair. One of Clint's callused fingers traced the letter proudly displayed on her finger, and he was smiling when he looked at her.

"My girl was just a little jealous when she heard I was leaving to dance with a beautiful woman, and I told her there was nothing to worry about. Now I can really tell her that she was worried for no reason, because my dance partner's husband can kill me with one hand."

"No hands. All it would take is one good Leonidas kick, and you'd be gone," Jo teased.

"You're probably right."

"I'm definitely right. So, you're serious about this girl? I mean, really serious?" Jo's known Clint for nearly a decade, and she's never seen him in a serious relationship. She has an idea about why, but she's not going to bring that up. Everyone's got their demons.

"She makes me feel…Fuck, Jo, she just makes me _feel_." Now that was something that Jo could understand just fine.

"Then you better treat her right and bring her home when this is all over."

"Should be over soon. If everyone else has been picking them off like I have, we should have them all rounded up soon," Clint said as he ran a hand through his hair.

"I hope so. It'll be nice to rest a little," Jo said and glanced down at Bruce. Maybe she could take him home to Louisiana for a little vacation, to just get away and relax for a few days at least.

"You really love him, huh?" Apparently her glance was a little lingering, and she smiled sheepishly over at Clint.

"More than I thought I ever could love a person," she whispered. For years, she thought there must be something wrong with her. Like maybe ROSE really did fuck her up beyond repair, until Bruce.

"The Hulk doesn't bother you?" She didn't get angry or anything, like she probably would have with anyone else, because Clint was a friend. A friend who saw Hulk's rage before Bruce was able to communicate freely with him.

"I loved Hulk first. He might seem like a big rage monster or whatever people like to call him, but there's something really innocent about him. It's hard to explain, but I love all of Bruce. Even the green parts." Clint just nodded and accepted it without any further explanation, because he's an awesome friend like that.

"Alright, Jo, I'll see you again soon. Take care of the Doc."

"Go back to your woman." Clint pressed a kiss against the top of her head and then gently closed the door behind him, and Jo snuggled back into Bruce. His arms shifted easily to fold against her back, and Jo pressed against him like she was trying to meld them together. She was asleep in seconds.

**.xXx.**

"Bruce, darlin'?"

"Hmm?" Jo waited until Bruce's brown eyes met hers before talking again, and she couldn't help her little smile at his wide-eyed look. He always looked like some creature of the night discovering sunlight for the first time whenever he was abruptly pulled away from his science. It was endearing and adorable, and the crazy hair made him look like a mad scientist.

"Your mumbles were becoming incoherent. Everythin' okay?" Jo was spread out on the couch and knitting with Nicky curled up on top of her feet.

"It's not making any sense."

"That's a little scary comin' from the fourth smartest person in the world. Shouldn't everything make sense to you?" Jo's smile was gentle and a little teasing, but the tightness around Bruce's eyes and mouth stayed in place. Something really was wrong.

"Tony's an engineer, Extremis is not in his field, but all of his notes make sense. They're precise and clear, and the Extremis should have worked just like Tony said it would. It should have slowly deteriorated in just a few weeks, and most of the examples I have tested have done just that."

"So what's the problem?" Bruce pulled his hand out of his hair and pushed his glasses up his nose a little.

"A few random examples haven't deteriorated at all. You know I took some blood from Clint? The Extremis is still in his system and just as strong as it was after being administered. Tony's calculations are correct; my calculations are correct. I can't explain why the Extremis is still there."

"It's stable though, right?" Jo saw, thanks to Tony's rapid thoughts and nightmares, exactly what Extremis could do to the human body.

"Completely stable and functional," Bruce assured.

"Eh, small miracles." Jo tipped her head back against the cushy couch arm so Bruce could work in peace. She could get back to her knitting later; right now, she just wanted to rest her eyes a bit.

"Are you okay?" Jo didn't bother with opening her eyes, because Bruce was probably either looking into microscope or a screen anyway.

"Peachy."

"Is there something wrong with your stomach?" This time Jo's eyes did widen, to ask where that came from when it was her lungs that got toasted, until she saw her hands. She was lightly rubbing circles on her stomach, right hand clockwise and left hand counterclockwise.

"Still a little tender from Kingpin's elbow. I think he might've been trying to find a roundabout way to break my spine, but he only broke some ribs instead," Jo shrugged and kept up the rubbing.

"Want me to take a look?"

"There are easier ways to get my shirt off. You can just ask." Jo grinned over at her husband and gave a little wink, and the stress in his face melted away as he smiled and shook his head.

"JARVIS and I have been working on a little something," Bruce said as he slipped off his stool. He rummaged around under a pile of papers, finally located a drawer, and walked over to the couch with something in his hands.

"You and JARVIS, huh? Yo, JARVIS, have you decided to give up being a butler to become a scientist?" Jo scooted her upper body so Bruce could sit down next to her hip, but she was careful to keep her legs still so that she wouldn't wake up Nicky. If he woke up, he'd leave and her toes would get cold without his furry warmth.

"Experiments are merely a hobby, Miss Jo," the AI said smoothly.

"I take everything back. I'm voting for you as ruler of the universe," Jo proclaimed as Bruce gently raised her arm.

"Your vote is appreciated, as always, Miss Jo." There's no way that JARVIS is just a machine; he's way too snarky for that, even though he was created by Tony Stark.

"Happy to be of service, JARVIS. Alright, Doc, what's going on?" Jo looked down at the shiny machinery on her wrist, about the width of her palm, and then down to where Bruce's hand was gripping hers.

"I would rather show you," Bruce said with a smile. Holograms appeared next to the couch, and Jo was willing to bet her left foot that they were fully interactive.

"Are those my lungs?" Jo wanted to reach out and poke the hovering image, but she already knew that she wouldn't be able to feel anything.

"It looks like they've healed, except for some light scarring—"

"That'll be gone soon." Bruce cut his eyes at her, and Jo slapped her free hand over her mouth. It was made to look like she was promising not to interrupt, but she was mostly trying not to laugh.

"Okay, let's move down and look down at the ribs. Maybe a few other sore areas." Bruce's eyes flicked down to where her hands were rubbing a moment earlier and then turned back to the hologram. A quick fluttering sound filled the room, and Jo craned her neck to get a better look at the hologram.

"Maybe I shouldn't have had that burrito for lunch," Jo murmured. Bruce's fingers flexed against her hand, tightened almost to the point of pain, and his face was looking a little pale. Sweat popped on his brow, and Jo used her free hand to wipe the sweat off and then brushed his hair back some. "What's wrong? Did Kingpin's chemical burn more than my lungs?"

"That's a heartbeat," Bruce whispered. Jo shifted around just the tiniest bit and tapped the center of his forehead. It looked like he had to force himself to look away and down at her.

"I'm pretty sure my heartbeat is a touch slower than that," Jo said with a gentle smile. There was something pushing at her mind, but she didn't want to face it. She couldn't.

"Not yours. It's the baby's heartbeat." Bruce's eyes were dark and wide, completely panicked, and Jo felt blood pulsing against her temples.

"That's not possible. I've got one of those birth control implants. McCoy made it, tailored for my weird biology. It lasts for a year, and I'm not due for another one until January." There was just no way that it was possible. Jo's never used protection because she's never had to; she can't catch diseases, and the implant keeps her from getting pregnant. She can't even count how many times she's had sex over the years without getting pregnant; the implant has _never_ failed.

"JARVIS?" Bruce's voice sounded tight, like someone was squeezing his vocal cords.

"Approximately fifteen weeks, sir."

"Which puts conception at…"

"Early August, sir." Jo's head swam, like she was going to pass out, and she flipped her hand around so she could grip Bruce's hand instead of just him holding hers. It was like gripping a lifeline.

"Are you two saying that you knocked me up on the first try?" Jo was holding Bruce's hand with both of hers now, and they both looked down at her stomach.

"JARVIS, analysis of the implant, please."

"Right arm, buddy." A hologram of her arm appeared, without an implant inside of it. There was nothing in her arm except for the usual, no foreign objects in sight.

"I am sorry, Miss Jo, but I cannot find it."

"How is that even—Oh. _Oh_."

"What?" Bruce was staring down at her, and he looked as lost as she felt. Jo felt like she was falling, and she freed one of her hands so she could grab the back of Bruce's neck and pull him towards her. She'd only done this once, during a horrific nightmare, but she had to try. She needed a fresh pair of eyes.

**July 31, 2014**

"_Jo! You get the little one!" Ben called as he and Johnny cornered the bigger of the duo. Jo saluted and took after the little villain, which she was calling Tink in her mind. She cornered the little thing and was just closing in when a bomb appeared in front of her. It was a comical looking bomb, black and with a little fuse sticking out the end, like something out of a Saturday morning cartoon. _

"_You gotta be fuckin' kiddin' me!" She raised her arms just in time for the blast, and the force of it knocked her back into the brick building behind her. Her arms and a piece of her ribcage were shredded, but she was still standing. Something little Tink hadn't been expecting, going by the shocked look on her face. Making that one bomb must have taken something out of the villain, so Jo assumed that it was her last resort maneuver. Too bad for her. All it took was one right hook to the girl's temple for her to drop like a sack of potatoes. _

"_Alright?!" Jo turned around to look at Johnny, who was still smoking a little. Jo shook her arms out and grimaced at the amount of blood coming out of the deep grooves carved in her flesh. _

"_Yeah, I'm good. SHIELD here yet?" she asked. Her arms and left ribcage were gaping, but she'd heal up soon enough. _

"_On the way! Good thing too! I can't believe you let that little thing hurt you so much!" Johnny laughed. Jo slung Tink over her shoulder and knocked a bloody fist against the side of Johnny's head._

"_Tis' only a flesh wound, or ten," she grinned. _

**November 8, 2014**

"My arms were completely cut open from the explosion since it was so close range. Some of SHIELD's medical patched me up, but I was healed up by the next day. I didn't even think to check the implant," Jo rushed out. Her forehead was still pressed tight against Bruce's, and she could feel his exhales on her cheek.

"You're pregnant." Bruce said it like he was trying out the words, and Jo's breath was pushed out with a laugh.

"And you're my baby daddy." Bruce pulled back enough to look at her, and Jo's fingers shook as she danced them across his stubbled cheeks. She was going to have a baby, she was pregnant, there was a bun in her oven…she was going to hyperventilate if she didn't calm down.

"Are you okay with this?" After the whole memory sharing thing, Jo was pretty hooked up to Bruce's brain. For the moment, at least. Bruce was scared…he was scared of a lot of things, but only one was really standing out right now. He was still scared of rejection, of disgust, and of hatred. Like she could ever hate him.

"It's a little sooner than I was expecting, but I am so totally okay with this. JARVIS, can we see the baby?" Jo tugged Bruce around until he was the one leaning against the couch arm and she was propped on his chest, and she grabbed one of his hands and rested it over her stomach. She knew she'd put on a couple of pounds.

"Right away, miss." That quick fluttering sound was back, but this time they could actually see inside of her uterus.

"Oh, wow, it actually looks like a baby. Look, Bruce, it's our baby," Jo whispered and leaned her head back to look at him. His fingers were spread out against her stomach, and his eyes were tracking every movement made on the hologram. When he finally looked away, he smiled down at her and wiped a finger across her cheek.

"You're crying," he said gently. Jo reached up to touch a finger just under his eye and smiled back at him.

"So are you."

**.xXx.**

"Should I be eating something healthier?" Jo asked. She was holding a cookie up in front of her face and staring at it as if it insulted her mother.

"I don't think a cookie will hurt. We need to call a doctor, set up an appointment, and start on prenatal vitamins." Bruce's eyes were sharp but still somehow unfocused as he thought of everything they needed, and Jo tried not to giggle at the look. It's only been an hour, and he's already an awesome daddy. Holy fuck, she's gonna be a mommy. She should probably stop saying fuck so much.

"I can't go to just any doctor. I'm special, Bruce, and I'm pregnant with a very special baby." Yeah, she was special alright. She was the Tank! The Tank…she was a fighter, she'd been fighting all this time and—

"Jo!" Hands caught her as she swayed backwards, and her knuckles tightened on the bar as she tried to even out her breathing.

"I was pregnant the whole time. The whole fucking time!" How many times has she fought over the past few months? How many hits has she taken to her stomach? Sweet fuck, she could've killed her own child and not even known it. What if she hurt the baby during a fight? What if there was something wrong with the baby because of a fight? She's been stabbed, beat down, several broken bones…what if there's something wrong?

"Jo, it's going to be okay. Listen to me, the baby is fine. You didn't hurt the baby. Everything's okay." She was nearly sobbing into Bruce's shoulder now as he whispered against her hair, but she couldn't stop. All she could see was every fight she'd been in and wondering just how close she'd come to killing her child.

"I fought Ironclad a week after we got together, a _week_. I was healin' so fast and gettin' so fuckin' tired, but I thought it was just from the beatin' I was takin'. What if my body was strugglin' to protect the baby? What if Ironclad had moved his foot up higher instead of breakin' my pelvis? I could've killed the baby before it even had a chance." Bruce's hands ran over her back as she cried silently, and Jo burrowed into his warmth as he whispered reassurances in her ear. _She didn't know; it wasn't her fault; the baby was okay; they were all okay_.

"Come on, let's go get some rest," Bruce whispered once she went completely still. Jo nodded against his shoulder but didn't move to pull away. Bruce bent down to grip her thighs, and Jo tightened her hold around his neck as he wrapped her legs around his waist.

"We'll call Ben and Johnny in the morning, invite them over and tell them I can't fight anymore. Maybe we should call Fury over too, if he has the time. He needs to know." Jo's voice was a hoarse whisper, and she nuzzled her nose against Bruce's neck.

"I'll call them first thing in the morning," Bruce promised. It was the last thing Jo remembered before falling asleep in his arms.

**November 9, 2014**

When Bruce woke up, Jo was already wide-awake and talking on her phone. She smiled when she noticed he was awake and then pressed something on her phone. She asked whoever was on the phone to wait just a moment so she could lean down to kiss him, and Bruce smiled into the kiss. Jo looked better than she had when she fell asleep, which helped ease Bruce's own frazzled nerves. Seeing Jo cry was unusual, and he hated the silent sobs that shook her for most of the night. Apparently, even in sleep, she worried.

"Sorry, Professor, my baby daddy decided to join the wakin' world," Jo said easily. Professor?

"That's quite alright, Jo. Good morning, Doctor Banner, and congratulations." Bruce blinked at the voice and recognized it immediately. Charles Xavier was not a man to be forgotten easily, even though Bruce only met him in person once. Right before boarding a plane. It was the professor that sent him to Dizzy Mears, another telepath, and she was the one that helped him connect with Hulk.

"Thank you, sir." Jo smiled down at him, and Bruce curled against her. She was sitting up with her back against the headboard, and he nestled his head on the blanket over her thighs. He reached up to cover Jo's free hand, which was resting over her stomach.

"Jo has been telling me her worries over finding a doctor, but I do believe we can work something out. I'm afraid I cannot spare Hank at the moment—"

"Is everything okay? I might not be one of your X-Men, sir, but you know I'll always help if you need me to. Well, maybe not for a few months," Jo said with a guilty look at her midsection. Jo's always quick to throw herself into a fight, so this is going to take some getting used to.

"Everything here is somewhat peaceful, but it seems as if you are not the only happy mother-to-be. There must be something in the water." It sounded like the older man was smiling, and Bruce felt Jo's thigh relaxing as she sighed in relief.

"Yeah? Who's knocked up there? Anyone I know?"

"Rogue." Jo barked out a laugh that made Bruce smile, but he couldn't place the name.

"No kiddin', huh? I bet ol' Gambit is freakin' out, if Logan hasn't killed him yet," Jo laughed.

"Remy has been a little overprotective, and he fears Rogue more than Logan at the moment. Logan has been away and doesn't know yet."

"Take a picture of Logan's face when he finds out for me, because I know that's gonna be priceless." Bruce remembered meeting Logan, what felt like a lifetime ago now, but they didn't talk about the specifics of their private lives. At his confused look, Jo explained, "Logan loves that girl like a daughter, and he's very protective over her. Gambit's kinda like an old friend of his, and he nearly gutted the idiot when him and Rogue first started dating."

"I shall have to remember to congratulate Logan on being a grandfather." Jo started laughing even harder at the professor's words until her face was completely flushed, and Bruce could even hear the professor chuckling quietly.

"Okay, Professor, what's your grand plan? Because I'm already moving into my second trimester, and I haven't done anything I'm supposed to. I can't just go see anyone, because there's no way this is going to be a normal baby." Jo's face was serious now, and Bruce sometimes forgot that Jo wasn't technically human. She was a mutant, and he was Hulk.

"I believe, with the help of a little technology, Hank can treat you from here. I would still like it if you could try and visit, at least once. Rogue is due in April, so I do believe that Hank will be able to deliver if everything goes according to plan."

"Sounds good to me. Would you be up for visiting the Professor?" Jo asked him.

"I'd love to," he said quickly.

"I'll contact Hank and be in touch." Bruce listened as the two said goodbye, with Jo promising to visit sometime before Christmas. Jo tossed the phone onto the bedside table as she slumped against the headboard, and her fingers lightly traced over his knuckles as she took slow even breaths.

"I called Fury and Ben. They'll be here in about an hour," Jo whispered. Bruce nodded, enjoyed the warmth for just a moment longer, and then pulled Jo from the bed. They took a quick shower, and Jo fidgeted a little as he brushed her wet hair and carefully braided it.

"Will you let me check something? All I'll need is a little blood," Bruce said quietly. He knew she could read his thoughts, he could feel her mind on the edge of his own, but she didn't push.

"Yeah, of course. Do whatever you need to," Jo said just as quietly. It was like they were scared to speak above a whisper. Twenty minutes later, Jo was on the couch in his lab with Nicky curled up in her lap while he ran a few simple tests.

"I think I know why you've been napping so much recently." Jo blinked three times before answering, and he could tell that she'd already plucked the thought from his mind. It was probably his loudest thought at the moment.

"The gamma radiation. Makes sense, I guess. Looks like the little guy is going to take after his daddy." Jo's smile was bright, and it was a _real_ smile. Her left cheek dimpled, and it made Bruce feel like breaking down. The amount of radiation in her body would kill a normal human, but thanks to her healing abilities, it only slightly weakened her to the point of extra naps. Still, she was being poisoned.

"Stop, right now, stop. A little radiation isn't going to kill me, and I am not worried about it. I'm not being poisoned. I'm just carryin' a little gamma baby, and I don't care because it's _your_ gamma baby. Okay?"

Jo gently sat Nicky down in his bed next to the couch as Bruce crossed the lab, and her fingers pulled at him the moment he was in range. Her long fingers pulled at the tee shirt he was wearing and pushed at the already loose pants, and she wiggled around as he stripped off her tank top and slipped off her panties. Her rough laugh echoed around them as she pulled him down on top of her, and he nipped lightly at her bared throat in question.

"It's just…I've been daydreaming about havin' sex in here since the first time you invited me up." He'd heard her say once, while reading one of her many romance novels, that someone with a voice as rough as hers could never breathy. He disagreed, because he loved the sound of her husky voice when she got breathy.

"That was at least a week before our first kiss." His hands smoothed up her shaking thighs as he talked, and Jo arched up to run her tongue along his jawline.

"I've got a small confession to make, Doc," Jo nearly whimpered. Bruce went still against her as he dropped his forehead to her shoulder, and he felt blunt nails digging into the center of his back.

"Let's hear it." Jo rolled under him, pulling him just that little bit deeper, and he nipped at her shoulder.

"I've been thinkin'—_Oh!_—about you naked since—_Mmm_—our first meetin'." Cold feet traced up his calves, and Bruce turned his head to trace his tongue along her ear.

"You barely even looked at me after our first meeting." Jo was breathing heavier now, and it felt like her fingers were bruising his back as she pushed up against him.

"Scared, remember? And still somehow turned on. _Fuck!_ You've had me all mixed up from day one." Bruce pulled back enough to look down at her, and Jo's hazel eyes were so dark that they looked black. His hips continued to move, slower now, as he just looked at her. At the way her nose wrinkled, the tip of her tongue darting out to wet her lips, at the flush that spread from her cheeks and down her neck…

"I love you." Her left cheek dimpled as she smiled, and she released her grip on his back to rub her palms against the stubble on his cheeks.

"Love you too." Fingers pulled at his hair as legs tightened around his waist, and Bruce drug his fingers down her strong thighs nearly hard enough to bruise.

"So sorry to interrupt, but Director Fury is becoming impatient." They both tensed up and froze, and Jo was nearly gnawing on the inside of her left cheek as she looked up at him. Her hips rolled under his as blunt nails pulled at his shoulders, and Bruce dropped his head to her shoulder as he picked up the pace.

"Coming!" Jo called out. She was still laughing five minutes later as they hurriedly pulled their clothes on, and he carefully smoothed down the little bit of hair that came out of her braid. Jo caught his hands, kissed a knuckle, and then bent down to scoop Nicky up.

"Eris! Is there a reason you called me here and then made me wait ten minutes for you to get your lazy ass down here?!" Jo shrugged as she led the way to the kitchen, and Bruce caught Ben's eyes as Johnny laughed.

"Why do I have to be a lazy ass?" Jo asked as she plopped Nicky onto the bar. Bruce bypassed his usual seat to sit next to Jo, and Fury took his stool. Nicky immediately moved over to the director and laid down, and Fury absently reached up to pet his patchy fur. Ben took the stool next to Fury, and Johnny stayed standing.

"It's almost noon, and you're in pajamas. At least Banner put on pants." It was like the cat somehow mellowed the scary director out, but Bruce had to admit that he had a point. Bruce was wearing jeans and a button-up, while Jo was only wearing exercise shorts and a tank top.

"Why are we here? There's no food, and we just had poker night." Jo glared over at Johnny, but the look softened when she looked at Bruce. Her hand, the left one, gripped his.

"Why am I here?" Fury asked. Jo turned her head to look at him, and her free hand reached up to tug on her braid.

"I can't fight anymore, sir," Jo said quietly. She shifted on her stool and tightened the grip on his hand, and Fury's one eye narrowed as he looked at her. The man should not have looked so intimidating while petting a cat with an eye patch, but he managed to pull it off.

"I sent you into a firefight not ten minutes after getting close and personal with your spinal cord, and you jumped off my hellicarrier with a war cry. What is stopping you from fighting?" Jo's never told him that story, but he can still picture it very clearly.

"There's nothing wrong with me, sir, but I kinda want my kid to be born before going into another fight." Jo shrugged it off, and Bruce watched as recognition dawned on their three guests.

"You're knocked up?!"

"Shut it, flame boy!"

"Congratulations, Bruce."

"Thank you, Ben."

"How far along?" Bruce and Jo both blinked at Fury, who looked completely calm.

"Three months. I'm due in May." Fury nodded, and Jo turned to glare at Johnny a little more.

"You're off the hook until the baby is born. Anything else?" Fury was already on his feet, and Nicky was looking up at him.

"Yeah, I expect a kickass baby shower present. Sir," Jo said with a wide grin. Fury glared at her and turned on his heel as he stalked from the kitchen.

"Congratulations, Dr. Banner!"

"Why didn't I get a congratulations? I'm the one carrying the baby," Jo pouted.

"Congratulations, Jo."

"Thank you, Ben."

"Being knocked up does explain a few things," Johnny mumbled.

"Oh yeah, like what?" Bruce met Ben's eyes as they prepared for the worst, and Bruce gently squeezed his wife's hand.

"Like eating so much chocolate outside of your usual monthly cravings." At all the weird looks, Johnny crossed his arms and tried to defend himself. "What? We were together for fourteen months, I know your monthly habits. You only eat chocolate once a month, normally at around the same time you turn part octopus."

"I don't turn part octopus!"

"Tell the truth, dude. She gets extra cuddly, doesn't she?" Bruce laughed as Ben knocked Johnny off his feet and made sure not to look at Jo.

"Oh my God, I'm clingy! And now I'm gonna have pregnancy hormones that'll make me even worse," Jo groaned as she dropped her head onto the bar. Bruce reached down to scoop her legs up and pull them into his lap, and he wrapped both arms around her back.

"I love your cuddles," Bruce said quietly. There was a time when he wasn't exactly comfortable with public displays of affection, but he didn't mind holding Jo in front of Johnny and Ben. Jo was his wife, the mother of his child, and he had a feeling that the two superheroes in the kitchen knew how much he cared for the super cuddly mutant now attached to his side.

"Let's leave the happy family alone," Ben said as he pulled a pouting Johnny off the floor.

"Hey, guys, keep this between us? I don't want to tell Andy that I'm preggers over a text message, and it feels wrong to tell so many people when my own sister doesn't even know I'm married." Jo's head was still on his shoulder, and he bent down to rest his head on hers. He hated that Jo couldn't see her sister yet, that she couldn't see her only living relative and tell her all of her happy news (Jo's exact words). Bruce didn't have anyone to call and tell, except for maybe Tony. He had a feeling that Tony would be happy for him, even though Bruce married and impregnated his bodyguard. On second thought, Tony might give him a big brother speech that would end in threatening to break Bruce's legs or something. (Not that Tony could actually hurt him, but Bruce he had a feeling that wouldn't stop Tony from making the threat.)

"Secret is safe with us, Jo," Ben said quietly.

"Yeah, Sue said they should be done soon," Johnny added. Jo nodded, and Bruce looked up to watch them leave.

"Mmm, this has been a fun morning, but I think I need a nap. A nap with a cute cuddly kitty on a sun warmed balcony is exactly what I need. See you later?"

"See you later." Jo leaned up to press a kiss against his cheek, nuzzled the spot, and then spun away to grab Nicky before sauntering away. Bruce watched her go with a small smile and then scrubbed a hand through his hair. It was time to get back to the lab.

**.xXx.**

Jo woke up stretched out on the couch on her balcony with her hands pressed against her stomach, and Nicky was curled up on her feet. The sun really did make everything warm, and Jo twisted a bit to loosen herself up. She had a weird dream that made complete sense, and she was itching to find Bruce. Literally. It felt like something was crawling under her skin and trying to get her to move. She slowly sat up without moving her feet, but Nicky still turned his head to glare up at her. Yep, the cat is definitely spending too much time with Fury.

"JARVIS? Where's Bruce?"

"Hulk is in his room, Miss Jo." Sub-basement, got it.

"Do you mind keeping an eye on Nicky?"

"Of course not." Jo scratched behind one floppy ear, and Nicky pressed against her hand once before curling back up on the couch. At first she worried about leaving the cat out, but JARVIS could easily open doors for the little guy. If JARVIS has a favorite in the household, it's probably Nicky. Jo thinks it's because the cat doesn't ask for as much as the rest of them. He's chill and undemanding like that.

Jo hummed quietly to herself as she rode the elevator down to Hulk's room, and she quietly made her way across the room as Hulk listed off chemical equations. So many people were so quick to assume that he was stupid just because he was big and didn't talk much, but the big guy is insanely smart. Since they share a mind now instead of fighting for it, Hulk picks up on what Bruce knows. And some of what he doesn't know, like history. Jo wiggled her way into Hulk's lap, and a big green hand absently pressed against her as he finished reciting…something. Jo's never been that good with chemical equations.

"Sleep okay?" Jo blinked up at Hulk and smiled as she rubbed her cheek against his forearm.

"Yeah, I had a really cool dream." Hulk huffed, which just made Jo smile wider.

"What about?"

"About our very first story time, but you were reading to someone else. You were reading to a little someone." Jo watched with misty eyes as a single finger gently pressed against her stomach, and she laid her hand over Hulk's.

"Reading to the baby?"

"Yeah, you were reading to our baby. And you know what the baby's name was?" She could feel Bruce inside Hulk's mind, and she knew he was listening. She could also tell how curious he was, as well as how overwhelming all of this was for the both of them. She nearly rolled her eyes at the thought that she wouldn't call Hulk the daddy too. Bruce and Hulk were the same person when it came down to it, so, yeah. Of course she was going to think of them both as the daddy.

"What?" Jo looked up into Hulk's eyes and noticed how they were flecked with brown.

"Max. Boy or girl, it doesn't matter. The baby's name was Max," Jo whispered. She was so focused on HulkBruce's mind that picking up on little thoughts was easy, and the image she caught almost had her crying happy tears. Hulk was picturing a little baby with pinch-worthy cheeks wearing a little wolf suit onesie, and Jo bent down to press her cheek against the back of his hand.

"Max." Hulk's usual growling voice was softer; Jo could hear a little bit of Bruce mixed in.

"Will you read to me and Max?" Hulk gently lifted her into the air and sat her down across his shoulder, and Jo went boneless. She could trust Hulk to keep her safe. To keep _them_ safe.

* * *

**Finis: **I made happy squeals while writing this. I know there were some darkish moments, like Jo freaking out about hurting the baby. Seriously though, she's been fighting like crazy throughout her entire pregnancy. Freak outs are understandable, I think. Everything is going to work out though! Because I'm a sucker for some fluff. The next chapter will cover Thanksgiving, which I'm pretty sure will take place at the X-Mansion. Because of reasons. So, the only references for this chapter are the Professor, Rogue, and Gambit/Remy. They're all X-Men, along with Logan/Wolverine.

_**Shiningheart of ThunderClan:**_ Yes, you were right! I'm so obvious. The others will return before the baby is born, but it's still a little ways off. It's no fun if they're completely cut off, so there will be little communications. In Tony's part of the story, I'll actually write out most of the texts that Jo's been sending.

_**VioletAkuamoebe0396: **_Haha, of course! They couldn't have that much fun without suffering the consequences. But it's going to be such a fun consequence!

_**Guest:**_ Have you been reading my mind? I really did think about letting her voicebox heal, but I'm still undecided. I like my OCs to have some flaws to make them a little more human, even though Jo technically isn't a human.

_**shika93:**_ Thank you for the review! I hope you liked this chapter :)

_**HydeHijacktGackt:**_ Thank you for the review!


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